In Congress' final effort to pass remaining appropriations bills this year, 
there have been rumors circulating that an attempt may be made to soemhow 
insert pipeline safety legislation.  While several members have kept the 
issue on their "wish lists" of items they would like to see in last-minute 
appropriations legislation, most would prefer that pipeline safety be dealt 
with in the next Congress -- see the attached article referencing Sen. John 
McCain's desire to handle it next year.  I would consider it highly unlikely 
to see pipeline safety included in the final package.

__________________

MCCAIN WANTS PIPELINE SAFETY BILL OUT OF FINAL SPENDING PACKAGE:
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain, R-Ariz., has asked the Senate 
leadership to keep a pipeline safety overhaul out of the final appropriations 
bill. In a letter to Majority Leader Trent Lott, Miss., and Appropriations 
Committee Chairman Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, McCain expressed reservations about 
inclusion of the pipeline bill (S 2438), which the Senate passed by unanimous 
consent on Sept. 7. McCain wrote that while he supports the legislation, he 
does not want authorizing provisions in the final appropriations bill. He 
added that the legislation "is the product of months of work and bipartisan 
negotiations by the Senate Commerce Committee ... and should in no way be 
weakened to appease organized labor or any other special interest group." The 
measure failed in the House Oct. 10. The 232-158 vote fell short of the 
two-thirds majority required for passage under suspension of the rules.



Jeffrey Keeler
Director, Environmental Strategies
Enron
1775 Eye Street, N.W.  Suite 800
Washington, D.C.  20006
(202) 466-9157 - phone
(202) 331-4717 - fax
(888) 502-6856 or 5026856@skytel.com - pager