Ed Whitfield

Mr. WHITFIELD

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Chairman, I claim time in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter).

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. It is not often that Congress has the opportunity to help an industry that creates both jobs and energy while also improving the environment, and it is especially rare when we can do that at no cost to the taxpayer. H.R. 3797, the SENSE Act, accomplishes all this. That is why we are here today, and that is why I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this legislation. Mr. Chairman, I yield 5 minutes the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Rothfus), the author of the legislation.

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Chairman, I yield the gentleman from Pennsylvania an additional 1 minute.

Mr. WHITFIELD

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I do want to thank the gentleman from Massachusetts, once again, for bringing this important issue before us. We must allow the public to have administrative process relief, and this legislation will do that in those cases when FERC does not actually issue an order; so I would urge the passage of this legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2984) to amend the Federal Power Act to provide that any inaction by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that allows a rate change to go into effect shall be treated as an order by the Commission for purposes of rehearing and court review.

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous materials in the Record on the bill.

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. As we begin consideration of this legislation, I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy) for bringing this matter to the attention of our committee. The Federal Power Act sets forth processes to set rates for electricity, including opportunities for the public to protest a rate change filed with FERC. New rates take effect if FERC approves them or if FERC fails to issue an order approving or denying the filed rate within 60 days. The failure to approve or deny a rate may result from agency delay or, in some limited cases, from a vote that results in a deadlocked Commission, for example, a 2-2 vote. In such cases, the rates become effective by operation of law even when these rates were not approved by a majority of Commissioners. The Federal Power Act provides administrative redress for members of the public to protest Commission rate decisions. However, if these rates become effective by operation of law--for example, a deadlock, 2- 2--the administrative processes are not available to the public because FERC did not actually issue an order for the public to protest. The public literally gets shut out. I don't want to speak for the gentleman from Massachusetts, but I think some of his constituents recently experienced this firsthand. As a result of that and of the hard work of Mr. Kennedy's, of his staff's, and of the committee staffs' on both sides of the aisle, this legislation was drafted, and we considered it in committee. We have it on the floor today, and I would urge all of the Members to support this important legislation. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WHITFIELD

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2081) to extend the deadline for commencement of construction of a hydroelectric project involving the Gibson Dam.

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. WHITFIELD

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4434) to extend the deadline for commencement of construction of a hydroelectric project.

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. WHITFIELD

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4416) to extend the deadline for commencement of construction of a hydroelectric project.

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. WHITFIELD

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4412) to extend the deadline for commencement of construction of a hydroelectric project.

Mr. WHITFIELD

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials in the Record on the bill.

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Griffith), who is the author of this legislation.

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I think the House may be setting a record today on hydropower projects. I urge passage of the bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WHITFIELD

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Montana (Mr. Zinke), who is the author of this legislation.

Mr. WHITFIELD

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. WHITFIELD

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1268) to amend the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to promote energy efficiency via information and computing technologies, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous materials in the Record on the bill.

Mr. WHITFIELD

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4427) to amend section 203 of the Federal Power Act, as amended.