Floor Statements

Mr. President, at this point I believe I intend to put a quorum call in. My colleague from Idaho is going to speak in a few minutes, as I understand it, to discuss some of the issues involved with the legislation. I plan to speak myself and then we will await Senator Coburn's return to the floor so he can call up the first of his amendments.

I am informed that the Senator from Oklahoma wishes to speak. Accordingly, I will not put in a quorum call at this time.

Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The hearing will be held on Tuesday, March 24, at 2:30 p.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

The purpose of the hearing is to consider the nomination of Thomas Strickland, to be Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife, Department of the Interior.

Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record may do so by sending it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510-6150, or by e-mail to [email protected].

For further information, please contact Sam Fowler at (202) 224-7571 or Amanda Kelly at (202) 224-6836.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Hagan) Without objection, it is so ordered.

What is the business before the Senate?

Madam President, earlier this year, the Senate passed S. 22, which is the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act, a collection of over 160 bills primarily from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. After a week of debate, the Senate passed S. 22 by a vote of 73 to 21. That vote occurred on January 15.

Unfortunately, the House of Representatives has not yet passed S. 22. In an effort to facilitate consideration of this package of bills in the other body, it is my hope that we will be able to attach the omnibus lands package to another bill that has already passed the House of Representatives and send it back where, hopefully, it can be quickly approved.

As the first step of this process this afternoon, the Senate will vote on whether to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R. 146, which is the Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Battlefield Protection Act. If cloture is invoked on the motion to proceed to that bill, and once we are on that bill, it is my intention to offer a substitute amendment that will essentially substitute the text of S. 22 as passed by the Senate.

In addition to making a few technical corrections to the previously passed bill text, the amendment incorporates one change that was not in the underlying Senate bill when it was previously passed.

Following Senate passage of S. 22, I understand that some Members in the House of Representatives expressed concern that the portion of the bill pertaining to Wild and Scenic Rivers and National Trails and National Heritage Areas might somehow be construed to limit access for authorized hunting, fishing, and trapping activities. While I am confident the Senate bill in no way restricts those activities, in an attempt to make this completely clear, the substitute amendment I will propose to offer, if we are able to do that, adds a provision in title V which covers Wild and Scenic Rivers and National Trails language designations. The new language states that:

Nothing in this title shall be construed as affecting

access for recreational activities otherwise allowed by law

or regulation, including hunting, fishing, or trapping.

Furthermore:

Nothing in this title shall be construed as affecting the

authority, jurisdiction, or responsibility of the several

States to manage, control or regulate fish and resident

wildlife under State law or regulations, including the

regulation of hunting, fishing, and trapping.

The amendment adds similar language in title VIII, which is the title designating National Heritage Areas. I would like to thank Senator Murkowski, who is the ranking member on the Energy Committee with me in this Congress, and also Senator Crapo, for their assistance with this provision.

With this clarification, I believe all interested parties now agree that the bill is clear that access for recreational hunting, fishing, and trapping is not affected by the river, trail, or heritage area designations.

As we noted before, the Omnibus Public Land Management Act is collectively one of the most significant conservation bills to be considered by the Senate in this past decade. It will result in the addition of over 2 million new acres of the National Wilderness Preservation System. It will designate three new units to the National Park System, and it enlarges the boundaries of several existing parks. It creates a new national monument and three new national conservation areas. It adds over 1,000 new miles to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System and over 2,800 miles of new trails that will be part of the National Trails System. It establishes in law the Bureau of Land Management's National Landscape Conservation System that protects over 1.2 million acres of the Wyoming Range.

In addition, the Omnibus Public Land Management Act authorizes numerous land exchanges and conveyances to help local communities throughout the West. It includes the Forest Landscape Restoration Act, which will help undertake collaborative landscape-scale restoration projects to help reduce both future fire risk and fire-associated costs. It incorporates over 30 bills which will help address critical water resource needs at both the national and local level. It authorizes several studies to help communities better understand their local water supplies and the best way to meet future water needs, and it includes several authorizations for local and regional water projects that enhance water use efficiencies, address water infrastructure needs, and help provide sustainable water supplies to rural communities.

Finally, the bill will ratify three important water settlements-- settlements in California, Nevada, and New Mexico. These settlements will resolve literally decades of litigation between the affected States, Indian tribes, agricultural and municipal water users, and environmental interests.

The previous vote on S. 22 was 73 Senators voting to pass the bill-- evidence of the strong bipartisan support for this package. Invoking cloture this afternoon on the motion to proceed to H.R. 146 is the first step necessary to move the Omnibus Public Land Management Act toward enactment into law.

In closing, I would like to, of course, thank our majority leader, Senator Reid, for his continued commitment to pass this bill. I urge my colleagues to support invoking cloture on the motion to proceed when we have that vote at 5:30 today.

I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, today I join with my colleague and the ranking member of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Senator Murkowski, in introducing S. 598, which is entitled the ``Appliance Standards Improvement Act of 2009.''

This legislation would enhance our economic and energy security, it would save consumers money, and it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by strengthening two Federal programs that have a 20-year record of success; that is, the Department of Energy's Appliance Standards Program and the joint DOE and EPA Energy Star Program.

The Department of Energy's standards program establishes minimum energy efficiency standards for 35 products and phases out the manufacture and sale of the least efficient models for those products. The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, ACEEE, estimates that national electricity use by 2020 will be nearly 16 percent less than it would have been without this standards program, which we have had in law now for many years.

The Energy Star Program is a voluntary program that promotes the development and sale of highly efficient appliances through labeling and marketing. Among its success stories is the dramatic increase in refrigerator efficiency and cost savings. The annual operating cost for Energy Star-qualified refrigerators has dropped from $243 in the 1970s to $46 today. The Department of Energy estimates that in 2006, Energy Star saved almost 5 percent of the Nation's electricity demand, helped avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 25 million automobiles, and saved consumers more than $14 billion.

Notwithstanding this record of success, further increases in the efficiency of appliances remains one of the most cost-effective strategies we can pursue to enhance our economic and energy security.

The bill I am introducing, along with Senator Murkowski, would expand the Department of Energy's program by establishing programs for affordable light fixtures and table and floor lamps. These products are found

throughout the Nation's homes and businesses, and improving their efficiency can have enormous benefits. ACEEE estimates that annual savings would build up to about 4 billion kilowatt hours by 2020, 750 megawatts in peak-demand savings, and about $4 billion of savings to consumers for purchases through the year 2030.

The bill would further strengthen the standards program by allowing stakeholders to directly petition the Department of Energy to update its test procedures and standards and reduce bureaucratic delays. The bill would strengthen the Energy Star Program by adopting several recommendations made by the EPA inspector general and Consumer Reports, such as improving monitoring and enforcement of Energy Star compliance.

Last month, President Obama recognized the value and potential of the standards program to meet the Nation's economic and energy challenges. He noted that standards:

will avoid the use of tremendous amounts of energy; over

the next 30 years, the savings will approximate the total

amount of energy produced over a 2-year period by all of the

coal-fired power plants in the Nation.

This bill is a good foundation on which to expand our energy efficiency efforts. It should be part of any comprehensive national energy legislation. I look forward to working with energy efficiency advocates, with industry, my Senate colleagues, and the administration to achieve the full potential for these programs and the full benefits of energy efficiency.

We will be holding a hearing, as you know, Madam President, on this bill this Thursday, March 19. I hope we will be able to include this legislation as part of a more comprehensive energy bill when we are able to report such a bill out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hopefully later this month.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, today I join with my colleague and the ranking member of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Senator Murkowski, in introducing S. 598, which is entitled the ``Appliance Standards Improvement Act of 2009.''

This legislation would enhance our economic and energy security, it would save consumers money, and it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by strengthening two Federal programs that have a 20-year record of success; that is, the Department of Energy's Appliance Standards Program and the joint DOE and EPA Energy Star Program.

The Department of Energy's standards program establishes minimum energy efficiency standards for 35 products and phases out the manufacture and sale of the least efficient models for those products. The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, ACEEE, estimates that national electricity use by 2020 will be nearly 16 percent less than it would have been without this standards program, which we have had in law now for many years.

The Energy Star Program is a voluntary program that promotes the development and sale of highly efficient appliances through labeling and marketing. Among its success stories is the dramatic increase in refrigerator efficiency and cost savings. The annual operating cost for Energy Star-qualified refrigerators has dropped from $243 in the 1970s to $46 today. The Department of Energy estimates that in 2006, Energy Star saved almost 5 percent of the Nation's electricity demand, helped avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 25 million automobiles, and saved consumers more than $14 billion.

Notwithstanding this record of success, further increases in the efficiency of appliances remains one of the most cost-effective strategies we can pursue to enhance our economic and energy security.

The bill I am introducing, along with Senator Murkowski, would expand the Department of Energy's program by establishing programs for affordable light fixtures and table and floor lamps. These products are found

throughout the Nation's homes and businesses, and improving their efficiency can have enormous benefits. ACEEE estimates that annual savings would build up to about 4 billion kilowatt hours by 2020, 750 megawatts in peak-demand savings, and about $4 billion of savings to consumers for purchases through the year 2030.

The bill would further strengthen the standards program by allowing stakeholders to directly petition the Department of Energy to update its test procedures and standards and reduce bureaucratic delays. The bill would strengthen the Energy Star Program by adopting several recommendations made by the EPA inspector general and Consumer Reports, such as improving monitoring and enforcement of Energy Star compliance.

Last month, President Obama recognized the value and potential of the standards program to meet the Nation's economic and energy challenges. He noted that standards:

will avoid the use of tremendous amounts of energy; over

the next 30 years, the savings will approximate the total

amount of energy produced over a 2-year period by all of the

coal-fired power plants in the Nation.

This bill is a good foundation on which to expand our energy efficiency efforts. It should be part of any comprehensive national energy legislation. I look forward to working with energy efficiency advocates, with industry, my Senate colleagues, and the administration to achieve the full potential for these programs and the full benefits of energy efficiency.

We will be holding a hearing, as you know, Madam President, on this bill this Thursday, March 19. I hope we will be able to include this legislation as part of a more comprehensive energy bill when we are able to report such a bill out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hopefully later this month.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and

Forestry be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Monday, March 16, 2009 at 5:30 p.m. in SC-4 of the Capitol.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Monday, March 16, 2009 at 10 a.m.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Michael Gauthier, who is a National Park Service fellow working on the staff of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources this year, be granted the privilege of the floor for today and for the remainder of the Senate's consideration of H.R. 146.

Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a business meeting has been scheduled before Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The business meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 18, 2009, at 9:30 a.m. immediately following the beginning of the Full Committee Hearing, in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

The purpose of the Business Meeting is to consider the nomination of David J. Hayes, to be Deputy Secretary of the Interior.

For further information, please contact Sam Fowler at (202) 224-7571 or Amanda Kelly at (202) 224-6836.

Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The hearing will be held on Thursday, March 19, 2009, at 9:30 a.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on the Appliance Standards Improvement Act of 2009.

Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record may do so by sending it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510-6150, or by e-mail to [email protected].

For further information, please contact Allen Stayman at (202) 224- 7865 or Rosemarie Calabro at (202) 224-5039.

Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The hearing will be held on Wednesday, March 18, 2009, at 9:30 a.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on nuclear energy development.

Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record may do so by sending it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510-6150, or by e-mail to [email protected].

For further information, please contact Sam Fowler at (202) 224-7571 or Amanda Kelly at (202) 224-6836.

Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The hearing will be held on Tuesday, March 17, 2009, at 10 a.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

The Committee will conduct an oversight hearing on energy development on public lands and the outer Continental Shelf.

Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record may do so by sending it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510-6150, or by e-mail to [email protected].

For further information, please contact Patty Beneke at (202) 224- 5451 or Gina Weinstock at (202) 224-5684.

committee on indian affairs

Mr. President, I am introducing legislation today with Senators Casey, Stabenow, and Whitehouse entitled the Drug Rebate Equalization Act of 2009.

The Medicaid drug rebate ensures that State Medicaid programs receive

the best price for prescription drugs for their beneficiaries. Unfortunately, health plans that serve over 10 million Medicaid beneficiaries cannot access the same discounts through the federal drug rebate program. Plans typically get no rebate on generic drugs and about a third of the rebate on branded drugs that states receive. States are paying more for the acquisition of prescription drugs for these health plan enrollees than for beneficiaries in fee-for-service Medicaid, thereby raising costs for Federal and State governments. In fact, the December 2008 Congressional Budget Office Health Options report found that equalizing the drug rebate between Medicaid fee-for- service and managed care would save Federal taxpayers $11 billion over 10 years.

Even with this price disadvantage, the total cost of prescription drugs for health plans is less on a per member per month basis because of health plans' greater use of generics and case management. Unfortunately, many States are considering, or have already begun, carving out prescription drugs from health plans for the sole purpose of obtaining savings under the rebate--this undermines the plans' ability to maintain a comprehensive care and disease management program that includes prescription drugs. Not only will this legislation save money, it will eliminate this incentive and ensure that health plans can maintain a comprehensive care coordination system for their patients.

This present drug rebate policy was passed by the Senate in 2005 as part of the Deficit Reduction Act. This year's version of the bill improves on last year's bill in several important ways. First, it requires States--not health plans--to collect the rebate. To protect plans against inappropriate cuts in payment, it requires states to publicly disclose information about savings obtained under the legislation. Second, the bill will reiterate that nothing in the legislation prevents a State from maintaining oversight control of its contracts with the health plans. Finally, the bill maintains the fee- for-service prohibition against health plans ``double dipping'' into the Medicaid drug rebate and the 340b discount drug pricing program. These changes significantly improve the bill and will help improve its chances of passage.

Extending the Medicaid drug rebate to enrollees in health plans is supported widely and includes the National Governors Association, the National Association of State Medicaid Directors, the National Medicaid Commission, the National Association of Community Health Centers, the Partnership for Medicaid, the Association for Community Affiliated Plans, and the Medicaid Health Plans of America. Last week, President Obama highlighted changes in Medicaid prescription drug rebates in his fiscal year 2010 budget to help pay for an expansion of health coverage for more Americans. I welcome President Obama's support and look forward to working with him to make this policy a reality.

This legislation modernizes the Medicaid program, protects the ability of health plans to effectively coordinate prescription drugs as part of their care coordination systems, and will save Federal taxpayers $11 billion over 10 years.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I am introducing legislation today with Senators Casey, Stabenow, and Whitehouse entitled the Drug Rebate Equalization Act of 2009.

The Medicaid drug rebate ensures that State Medicaid programs receive

the best price for prescription drugs for their beneficiaries. Unfortunately, health plans that serve over 10 million Medicaid beneficiaries cannot access the same discounts through the federal drug rebate program. Plans typically get no rebate on generic drugs and about a third of the rebate on branded drugs that states receive. States are paying more for the acquisition of prescription drugs for these health plan enrollees than for beneficiaries in fee-for-service Medicaid, thereby raising costs for Federal and State governments. In fact, the December 2008 Congressional Budget Office Health Options report found that equalizing the drug rebate between Medicaid fee-for- service and managed care would save Federal taxpayers $11 billion over 10 years.

Even with this price disadvantage, the total cost of prescription drugs for health plans is less on a per member per month basis because of health plans' greater use of generics and case management. Unfortunately, many States are considering, or have already begun, carving out prescription drugs from health plans for the sole purpose of obtaining savings under the rebate--this undermines the plans' ability to maintain a comprehensive care and disease management program that includes prescription drugs. Not only will this legislation save money, it will eliminate this incentive and ensure that health plans can maintain a comprehensive care coordination system for their patients.

This present drug rebate policy was passed by the Senate in 2005 as part of the Deficit Reduction Act. This year's version of the bill improves on last year's bill in several important ways. First, it requires States--not health plans--to collect the rebate. To protect plans against inappropriate cuts in payment, it requires states to publicly disclose information about savings obtained under the legislation. Second, the bill will reiterate that nothing in the legislation prevents a State from maintaining oversight control of its contracts with the health plans. Finally, the bill maintains the fee- for-service prohibition against health plans ``double dipping'' into the Medicaid drug rebate and the 340b discount drug pricing program. These changes significantly improve the bill and will help improve its chances of passage.

Extending the Medicaid drug rebate to enrollees in health plans is supported widely and includes the National Governors Association, the National Association of State Medicaid Directors, the National Medicaid Commission, the National Association of Community Health Centers, the Partnership for Medicaid, the Association for Community Affiliated Plans, and the Medicaid Health Plans of America. Last week, President Obama highlighted changes in Medicaid prescription drug rebates in his fiscal year 2010 budget to help pay for an expansion of health coverage for more Americans. I welcome President Obama's support and look forward to working with him to make this policy a reality.

This legislation modernizes the Medicaid program, protects the ability of health plans to effectively coordinate prescription drugs as part of their care coordination systems, and will save Federal taxpayers $11 billion over 10 years.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The hearing will be held on Thursday, March 12, 2009, at 2:30 p.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

The purpose of the hearing is to consider the nomination of David Hayes to be Deputy Secretary of the Interior.

Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record may do so by sending it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510-6150, or by e-mail to [email protected].

For further information, please contact Sam Fowler at (202) 224-7571 or Amanda Kelly at (202) 224-6836.

Mr. President, today I am introducing a bill, with Senator Murkowski's support, that will improve our understanding of the interdependence of energy and water and begin integrating decision- making for both resources. The relationship between energy and water is an often overlooked but serious issue that is growing in importance.

Energy and water are crucial components of modern life. Production of energy and freshwater are inextricably linked. Each is required for the production of the other, and neither resource is routinely considered in developing management policies for the other. As population density continues to increase in already water-stressed regions, it is crucial that the United States develop new policies that integrate energy and water solutions so that one resource does not undermine the use of the other.

Thermal power generation, coal, natural gas, oil, and nuclear, accounts for 39 percent of freshwater withdrawals in the U.S., second only to agriculture-related withdrawals. Water use can range from 7,500 gallons of water per megawatt-hour produced, gal/MWhr, for natural gas plants, to 60,000 gal/MWhr for some nuclear facilities. Petroleum refineries also use a significant amount of water, and the water demands of the transportation sector will only increase as the U.S. seeks to reduce its reliance on foreign oil. The two primary options for reducing gasoline use--plug-in hybrids and biofuels--are both more water intensive than gasoline. By some estimates, plug-in hybrids consume three times more water per mile traveled than conventional gasoline vehicles. If the entire production cycle is considered, some biofuels can consume as much as 20 times more water per mile traveled. Three provisions of the bill attempt to highlight and further analyze these issues: a National Academies study of water use in transportation fuel production and electricity generation; the development of power plant water use guidelines by the Department of Energy; and a directive to the Secretary of Energy to finalize an energy-water research and development roadmap to guide policy efforts in the future. Better data will lead to integration of water considerations in the development of energy policy.

Just as our energy consumption uses large amounts of water, the acquisition, treatment, and delivery of water supplies consumes massive amounts of energy. For example, 19 percent of California's electricity consumption is for water-related energy uses. Overall, treatment and delivery of municipal water supplies consume 3 percent of the nation's electricity. The bill addresses the issue of water-related energy consumption by directing the Bureau of Reclamation to evaluate energy use in Reclamation projects and identify ways to reduce such use. The bill also directs the Energy Information Administration to gather data and report on the energy consumed by water treatment and delivery activities. Once again, better data will lead to improved decision- making by State, local, and Federal water managers. Furthermore, the bill establishes research priorities for the Bureau of Reclamation's Brackish Groundwater Desalination Facility, including renewable energy integration with desalination technologies. To the extent that renewable energy can be integrated

with water treatment and delivery facilities, public acceptance of new water supply proposals is likely to increase.

The bill being introduced today is a good first step towards integrating energy and water policy. Such efforts will become increasingly necessary as growing populations, environmental needs, and a changing climate continue to affect both energy and water resources. I look forward to this legislation increasing the dialogue on these issues and hope that we can incorporate additional ideas as the legislative process proceeds.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, today I am introducing a bill, with Senator Murkowski's support, that will improve our understanding of the interdependence of energy and water and begin integrating decision- making for both resources. The relationship between energy and water is an often overlooked but serious issue that is growing in importance.

Energy and water are crucial components of modern life. Production of energy and freshwater are inextricably linked. Each is required for the production of the other, and neither resource is routinely considered in developing management policies for the other. As population density continues to increase in already water-stressed regions, it is crucial that the United States develop new policies that integrate energy and water solutions so that one resource does not undermine the use of the other.

Thermal power generation, coal, natural gas, oil, and nuclear, accounts for 39 percent of freshwater withdrawals in the U.S., second only to agriculture-related withdrawals. Water use can range from 7,500 gallons of water per megawatt-hour produced, gal/MWhr, for natural gas plants, to 60,000 gal/MWhr for some nuclear facilities. Petroleum refineries also use a significant amount of water, and the water demands of the transportation sector will only increase as the U.S. seeks to reduce its reliance on foreign oil. The two primary options for reducing gasoline use--plug-in hybrids and biofuels--are both more water intensive than gasoline. By some estimates, plug-in hybrids consume three times more water per mile traveled than conventional gasoline vehicles. If the entire production cycle is considered, some biofuels can consume as much as 20 times more water per mile traveled. Three provisions of the bill attempt to highlight and further analyze these issues: a National Academies study of water use in transportation fuel production and electricity generation; the development of power plant water use guidelines by the Department of Energy; and a directive to the Secretary of Energy to finalize an energy-water research and development roadmap to guide policy efforts in the future. Better data will lead to integration of water considerations in the development of energy policy.

Just as our energy consumption uses large amounts of water, the acquisition, treatment, and delivery of water supplies consumes massive amounts of energy. For example, 19 percent of California's electricity consumption is for water-related energy uses. Overall, treatment and delivery of municipal water supplies consume 3 percent of the nation's electricity. The bill addresses the issue of water-related energy consumption by directing the Bureau of Reclamation to evaluate energy use in Reclamation projects and identify ways to reduce such use. The bill also directs the Energy Information Administration to gather data and report on the energy consumed by water treatment and delivery activities. Once again, better data will lead to improved decision- making by State, local, and Federal water managers. Furthermore, the bill establishes research priorities for the Bureau of Reclamation's Brackish Groundwater Desalination Facility, including renewable energy integration with desalination technologies. To the extent that renewable energy can be integrated

with water treatment and delivery facilities, public acceptance of new water supply proposals is likely to increase.

The bill being introduced today is a good first step towards integrating energy and water policy. Such efforts will become increasingly necessary as growing populations, environmental needs, and a changing climate continue to affect both energy and water resources. I look forward to this legislation increasing the dialogue on these issues and hope that we can incorporate additional ideas as the legislative process proceeds.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.