S 2012 Deal Reached

Yesterday a deal was reached in the Senate to allow for continued consideration of S 2012, the Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2015. It provides for an en bloc vote on 28 selected amendments with a 60 vote threshold to adopt the amendments. Four additional specific amendments will be considered individually, again with a 60 vote minimum for adoption.

None of the amendments that I described in a series of blog posts in January and February (here, here, here, and here) were among those covered in the agreement. The provisions in the base bill for the Critical Electric Infrastructure Information (CEII) program and the enhanced grid security provisions remain unchanged.

A date for these votes has not yet been set. Senators McConnell and Reed will work that out between them. I expect that it will be sometime next week. I would expect the en bloc amendments to pass with substantial bipartisan support. The remaining four amendments will be a much less sure thing for passage.