CQ TODAY – THE WEEK AHEAD
Feb. 1, 2007 – 9:12 p.m.
The Week Ahead: House to Examine Biofuels; Iraq Resolutions Likely to Inflame Debate in Senate
By Matthew Spieler and Michael Teitelbaum, CQ Staff
The Senate next week kicks off a highly contentious debate on President Bush’s plan to increase troop levels in Iraq, while the House tackles a bill aimed at promoting federal research on better storage and transport of biofuels.
A cloture vote in the Senate is expected Monday on a motion to proceed to a measure (S 470) that is the bill form of S Con Res 7, a non-binding resolution that would express disagreement with the troop buildup while vowing to protect funding for troops in Iraq.
Debate on the measure — sponsored by Republican John W. Warner of Virginia and Democrat Carl Levin of Michigan — will easily consume floor debate for the week. After weeks of negotiations it has gained the support of a number of senators, including Republicans Chuck Hagel of Nebraska and Sam Brownback of Kansas, as well as Democrat Richard J. Durbin of Illinois.
Despite bipartisan support, it remains unclear whether the underlying measure has the necessary 60 votes to break a possible filibuster.
During floor debate on the measure, John McCain, R-Ariz., will likely offer an alternative to the Warner measure. His proposal would stop short of addressing troop levels but would require the Iraqi government to achieve certain benchmarks of success.
Biofuel Bill Heads for House Floor
After working on several bills under suspension of the rules early in the week, the House will take up legislation (HR 547) on Wednesday that would authorize $10 million for the EPA to research and develop chemical additives and other technologies to ease delays in transporting biofuels and get them to consumers more quickly.
Biofuels can corrode pipes and storage tanks designed for petroleum products, putting the cost of revamping old infrastructure on retailers.
David Dreier of California, the House Rules Committee’s ranking Republican, noted that the bill could come up under an open amendment process. He added that a similar bill was passed in the 109th Congress under suspension of the rules, a legislative procedure designed to expedite non-controversial legislation.
Regarding scheduling matters, House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, D-Md., hinted that prospects of a five-day workweek may be limited. “If we are able to do our work within the time frame on Thursday, it may well be a late Thursday,” he said.
Although the House is not expected to be in on Friday, Hoyer would not rule out the possibility of future Friday sessions.
