[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 18 (Thursday, February 17, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S1586]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             ENERGY PRICES

  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, last week, the Treasury Secretary, Mr. 
Snow, testified before the Senate Budget Committee that high energy 
prices act like a tax on consumers. Given that, what the Bush 
administration has called for is a huge tax on consumers throughout the 
Pacific Northwest. I am talking specifically about their proposal to 
require that people in our region pay $2.5 billion more for energy in 
the days ahead because this administration wants to extract money from 
the Bonneville Power Administration's ratepayers above and beyond their 
costs.
  I am very troubled about this proposal, particularly because when 
Energy Secretary Bodman came to my office, I asked specifically about 
the administration's plan for Bonneville, and not just in the office, 
but when he came to the Senate Energy Committee for his confirmation 
hearing. Both times I was assured by Secretary-designate Bodman that he 
opposed proposals to privatize Bonneville. The assurances were provided 
just a couple of weeks before the Bush administration's budget was 
released with the plans that do, in fact, privatize Bonneville, for all 
practical purposes, by going to a different rate structure that seeks 
to extract money from Bonneville beyond its costs.
  When I met with Dr. Bodman in my office, he was accompanied by Clay 
Sell, the White House energy adviser. I learned last night that Mr. 
Sell was well aware of the discussions within the administration that 
led to the Bonneville privatization proposal at the time Dr. Bodman was 
assuring me that he opposed privatization. In that meeting, and at his 
hearing, Dr. Bodman assured me that as far as he knew, the 
administration also opposed privatization. Clearly, that was not the 
case. Mr. Sell has since been nominated to be Deputy Secretary of 
Energy.
  I have come to the floor today because the White House and the 
administration need to get the message. They cannot impose these 
devastating electricity rate increases on our region, first, without 
changing the law and, second, without an understanding that I and other 
Members from our region, Democrats and Republicans, will do everything 
we possibly can to prevent this misguided proposal to take huge amounts 
of dollars from our ratepayers and taxpayers. We are going to do 
everything we can to keep that proposal from passing in the Senate.
  Now, I am not, this morning, going to announce a hold on the 
appointment of Mr. Sell as Deputy Secretary of Energy. In accord with 
the policy that I and Senator Grassley have led the Senate on over the 
years, I do announce my holds publicly; and unless something changes, 
unless the administration drops this misguided concept--a concept that 
would be so punitive on our region at a time when we have very high 
unemployment and a world of economic hurt throughout our region--unless 
the administration drops their proposal, I will be forced to come back 
to this floor and have a public hold placed on the Sell nomination.
  I remain very troubled by Mr. Sell's role in the discussions that 
took place in my office and Dr. Bodman's testimony before the Energy 
Committee when I was assured in both instances that there was 
opposition to privatization. I and other Members of the northwest 
congressional delegation are simply not going to let a sign be put up 
on the Pacific Northwest saying: Closed for business and energy tax 
hikes headed through the roof. This is too important to our area.
  I am very hopeful that, working with colleagues--and I am 
particularly interested in working with my good friend, the chairman of 
the committee, Senator Domenici--we can resolve this matter out so our 
region will not be devastated economically.
  Senator Domenici, to his credit, has raised concerns about this 
misguided proposal to raise our energy prices in the Northwest. I 
intend to work closely with him, and I am very hopeful I will not have 
to come back to this floor and put a public hold on Mr. Sell's 
nomination to be Deputy Secretary of Energy. But if this is not worked 
out and it is not worked out quickly, I will have no other option 
because the ratepayers of our part of the world, at a time when they 
have experienced enormous economic pain, deserve to know there is not 
going to be a huge additional rate hike imposed on them and one that 
would do so much to cripple their hopes and aspirations.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Minnesota.

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