Durbin says energy legislation in lame-duck a 'long shot'

Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) Tuesday threw cold water on suggestions that the Senate would respond legislatively to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill or take up a renewable power mandate during a post-election lame-duck session.
 
“There are many choices and most of them are controversial, so to think that we could do them quickly in a lame-duck is a long shot,” Durbin said. “I think it is when you just look at the limited time and the three major issues that we face, not to mention many other issues in the second tier.”

Those top three issues, he said, are dealing with the New START nuclear reduction treaty with Russia, expiring George W. Bush administration tax cuts and an omnibus spending bill.
 
There is an escalating bipartisan push for the Senate, in a post-election session, to take up a renewable electricity standard (RES) led by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) and Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.). The two say they have enough support for it, and are looking to secure a vote this year on a plan requiring 15 percent of electricity to stem from sources such as wind, solar and geothermal by 2021.
 
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) had said before the August recess that an RES lacked 60 votes and didn’t include it in a narrow energy bill he unveiled. But in late August, Reid reversed course and said an RES is still in the mix if energy legislation were to be salvaged in a lame-duck session.
 
But Republicans who would normally back the substance of a RES still want Reid to allow amendments to be offered on the floor. Many Republicans are looking for more nuclear, hydroelectric and coal power to be included in the mandate.