Construction officials were optimistic this spring, when a Senate committee approved an energy-efficiency bill with features deemed favorable to the industry. However, the measure may not make it to the Senate floor for a full vote by the end of the calendar year, observers say. For one thing, time is limited. The Senate is scheduled to be in session for only about a dozen days before the end of December. "I think it will fall into next year," says Steven Nadel, executive director of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee cleared the bill on May 8, and Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) brought it to the floor in mid-September. But the measure was bogged down by non-related amendments, such as a proposal from Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) to repeal the Affordable Care Act. "What's happening now is, Senator Reid is basically waiting to see if there are assurances that there are 60 votes or more" to ensure the bill's passage, Nadel says. Reid also has other priorities, such as the farm bill and budget negotiations with the House, says Nicole Steele, Alliance to Save Energy director of policy and state regulations.
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