The House and Senate meet in full today for the first time since Democrats won control of both chambers.

The power reversal won’t happen until January, but the new political reality is here.
The first hint of what that looks like will be a Senate test vote late Monday afternoon on a bill — the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act — to overhaul the permitting process for energy projects. It would also “hold data centers accountable,” says New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich, top Democrat on the Senate Energy Committee.

The measure is the result of a deal struck between Republicans and Democrats just before senators broke for recess in late September.

Take note: Over the weekend, Energy and Environment committee leaders from both parties released a revised version of BAAJA to reflect feedback and make technical changes.

Some Democrats want to hold off on taking up permitting reform until they are in control next year. There’s also a push by some for a deal in which the Trump administration pledges to move ahead on stalled or rejected “clean” energy projects in exchange for backing the bill.

Both Republicans and Heinrich say the legislation needs to move now.

Source: Agri-Pulse