US Dems Ready To Move Energy Bill Ahead Despite Objections

[jpak]

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200710031808DOWJONESDJONLINE000714_FORTUNE5.htm

While U.S. Democratic congressional leaders said this week they plan to start the reconciliation process between House and Senate energy bills later in the week, they're also prepared to push an energy bill through the chambers without the normal legislative procedure.

The Senate and House earlier this year passed two different energy bills that Democratic leadership hoped to meld together in a conference committee.

But instead, Democrats could craft a single "leadership bill" that has all the elements of both bills - avoiding a conference committee - and introduce that piece of legislation into both chambers for votes.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., had aimed to reconcile the bills soon after Labor Day, but a number of issues have divided the parties, and have sparked political infighting among the Democrats' ranks.

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