Bingaman wants fast action on oil policy bills

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) said Tuesday that he wants the committee to vote on oil-and-gas policy legislation before the Memorial Day recess.

Bingaman is pushing for near-term action a day after unveiling two bills: One addressing offshore drilling safety, and another that tackles issues such as curtailing offshore royalty waivers and boosting federal support for the long-delayed Alaska natural gas pipeline. The new bills seek to pick up where the committee left off in the last Congress.

Bingaman discussed the committee plans at a hearing Tuesday on oil-and-gas drilling technologies. 

“Along with this hearing, these two bills are a good starting point for what I hope will be a constructive, bipartisan dialogue on the topic as the rest of this month unfolds. We hope to have a hearing on the bills and related legislation next week,” Bingaman said in his opening statement.

“I hope we can mark up legislation relating to oil and natural gas as part of our overall committee agenda during this work period,” he said.