Environmental, Energy Riders Key in Capitol Hill's Budget Endgame

Environmental policy riders are one of the bones of contention stalling a massive omnibus funding deal in Congress as the December 11 government shutdown deadline looms.

"WASHINGTON — The bazaar is open on Capitol Hill as lawmakers rush through unfinished budget business.

Congress is trying to wrap up its work for the year and it's hoping to go out with a bang by passing a massive spending bill and a separate measure reviving a boatload of tax breaks that mostly reward business interests like high-tech firms and producers of renewable energy.

The spending measure — dubbed 'The Omnibus' inside the Capital Beltway — is an amalgam of 12 spending bills distributing the $1.1 trillion portion of the budget that's set each year at the discretion of lawmakers. The package of 'tax extenders' is a hodgepodge of tax breaks that get renewed every couple of years or so. ...

But the biggest storm involves numerous efforts by Republicans to fight Obama's environmental agenda, including moves to block new emissions standards for power plants, blunt an ambitious rewrite of clean water rules, prevent the administration from regulating "fracking" on federal lands, and curb new regulations on ozone. Democrats promise most of these riders won't go through, though Republicans appear optimistic that they'll win a reversal of the four-decade ban on exporting U.S. crude oil."

Andrew Taylor reports for the Associated Press December 9, 2015.

SEE ALSO:

"Division Over Riders Forcing Congress To Edge Of Government-Funding Deadline" (Huffington Post)

"Days From Deadline, GOP Seeks To Curb Obama Environmental Agenda in Sweeping Budget Bill" (U.S. News & World Report)

"Brinkmanship Over 'Riders' Hangs Over Omnibus Talks" (E&E Daily)

"Environmental Riders on Omnibus Coming Into Focus" (BNA)