House, Senate Budget Panels Sharply Boost Energy Spending

摘要

In a sharp rebuke to President Bush's fiscal 2009 budget request for energy programs, the House and Senate Budget committees in separate markups Thursday approved budget resolutions for the coming fiscal year that would sharply increase spending on Energy Department research and development programs.rnNeither committee, however, opted to include a package of tax incentives for renewable energy and efficiency programs in budget reconciliation provisions in the respective resolutions. That reflects a decision by Democratic leaders in both chambers to continue negotiations with Republicans on finding new ways to offset the costs of the incentives.rnThe House has approved the $18.1 billion renewable energy tax incentive package four times since Democrats took control of Congress in January 2007.