[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Page 856]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    ENERGY POLICY MODERNIZATION BILL

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, the senior Senator from Alaska knows 
that reform is urgently needed to modernize America's energy policies 
for a new era, with new challenges and new opportunities. Under her 
leadership, the energy committee has worked hard the past year to 
achieve that aim. The committee convened listening sessions, the 
committee held oversight hearings, the committee worked hard and worked 
across the aisle focusing on areas of common ground that can move our 
country forward.
  That constructive and collaborative process ultimately resulted in a 
broad bipartisan energy bill, the Energy Policy Modernization Act. It 
cleared committee with the support of more than 80 percent of the 
Senators, Republicans and Democrats alike, including the top energy 
committee Republican, the Senator from Alaska, and the top energy 
committee Democrat, the Senator from Washington. Both recognize the 
importance of preparing our country for the energy challenges of today 
and the energy opportunities of tomorrow.
  They are also committed bill managers. I ask colleagues to continue 
working with them as they have amendments. Talk to the Senators from 
Alaska and Washington and get your amendments dealt with. This is 
bipartisan legislation that provides a commonsense approach to help 
Americans produce more energy, pay less for energy, save energy, all 
without raising taxes or adding to the deficit.
  So let's keep working and move the process forward. Let's keep 
working to pass this bipartisan bill.

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