Federal Legislative Update ,
 Congressional Republicans Draft Energy Bill to Aid the West=09
Rep. Joe Barton has spliced together emergency legislation aimed at aiding =
energy markets in the Western United States via funding for improvements in=
 California's constrained transmission line SP-15 and directing federal dis=
aster officials to prepare for power outages.  The move by Republicans came=
 as Democratic criticism of the Bush administration's response to the Calif=
ornia power crisis intensified Wednesday.  Although the bill will not conta=
in the price caps sought by Democrats and a handful of Republicans, Barton =
said he would allow amendments in support of price controls during committe=
e deliberations.  A list circulated by GOP staff in recent weeks includes a=
 range of ideas such as relaxing environmental rules, subject to a governor=
's request; increasing federal energy assistance to low-income consumers; f=
iring up mothballed power plants; and directing federal facilities to reduc=
e energy use by 10%.  Additionally, the bill would grant governors the flex=
ibility to allow power plants that have exceeded emissions limits to tempor=
arily keep operating during emergencies.=09
mike.swerzbin@enron.com, robert.badeer@enron.com, sean.crandall@enron.com, 