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SENATE REPUBLICANS AIM TO OVERTURN EPA GREENHOUSE GAS FINDING
This week, Senate Republicans expressed hope that a majority of senators will vote for a resolution planned by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) to turn back the Environmental Protection Agency's finding that greenhouse gas emissions endanger health and the environment. According to Murkowski, getting the 30 Republicans needed to force a floor vote on the resolution on endangerment in the Senate is “a done deal” and is hopeful that enough Democrats would support the measure to pass it in the Senate. The senator plans to introduce her resolution in January after the holiday recess. In the House, Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) said that he and other House Republicans plan to introduce a similar resolution to disapprove of the EPA finding. Barton is the ranking member on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The Congressional Review Act allows the House and Senate to enact a joint resolution of disapproval after a rule has been finalized and submitted to Congress. If signed by the president or enacted over his veto, the resolution voids the regulation.
HOUSE APPROVES HIGHWAY PACKAGE
This week, the House narrowly approved a legislative package (H.R. 2847) that includes $37.3 billion in transportation infrastructure funding and provides additional money into the depleted Highway Trust Fund, though final action on the measure will be put off until early 2010. House members voted 217-212 to pass the bill (H.R. 2847). The bill also makes several changes to the Internal Revenue Service code designed to increase the balance of the depleted Highway Trust Fund. It removes a ban on the fund earning interest on its balance, a provision that was written into a 1998 transportation policy measure. The Highway Trust Fund has lost approximately $8 billion in the 11 years since it was stripped of interest-collecting ability, according to several stakeholder calculations. It also would change how exemptions from the motor fuel tax are paid for. Municipalities and public transportation operators, among others, pay the federal fuel tax rate of 18.4 cents per gallon but are then able to receive refunds on the tax, which have been paid out of the Highway Trust Fund. The measure proposes to shift that burden to the general fund, providing the trust fund with an extra $1.7 billion per year, according to a statement from House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN).
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SENATE HEALTH CARE MEASURE PROGRESS UNCERTAIN
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is determined to finish work on health care reform before the Christmas holiday and has set a schedule that would end with a final vote on the evening of Dec. 24 even though Democrats have yet to garner the necessary 60 votes needed to end debate on the bill (H.R. 3590). Several senators have not committed to supporting it. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has told colleagues that he will not give any ground on procedural hurdles and is prepared to call Reid’s bluff on a Christmas Eve vote. Some Republicans say they will also require Democrats to return to Washington the following week to approve an increase of the debt limit. Democrats are also awaiting a cost estimate from the Congressional Budget Office on the cost of the manager's amendment to the bill, which has yet to be released to the public.
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EIA RELEASES UPDATED ENERGY OUTLOOK
On December 14, the Energy Information Administration released an updated long-term forecast predicting that biofuels, primarily ethanol, will have a big impact in the transportation sector over the next 25 years, contributing to a decline in crude oil imports and helping to keep petroleum consumption essentially flat. The updated forecast, known as the Annual Energy Outlook 2010 reference case, is located at http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/aeo/index.html.
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CLIMATE CHANGE TALKS HERE AND ABROAD
The international conference on global climate change being held in Copenhagen this week is far from reaching an agreement. According to reports, most of the challenge comes from bilateral discussions with China. On the domestic front, the climate change bill (S. 1733) sponsored by Sens. John Kerry (D-MA) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) would lead to a net increase in federal revenues of about $21 billion from 2010 to 2019, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). According to a report, the bill would generate about $854 billion in federal revenue and would require about $833 billion in direct federal spending, taking into account both auctioned allowances and allowances that are allocated to business at no cost. Boxer cited the CBO report as evidence that the goals she seeks to meet through her bill are obtainable. However, Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works focused on the fact that the revenue comes primarily from charging companies for their emissions.
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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Share Group
A new year brings new projects! Topics we will cover during the IT workshop include: Security, Optimized Networks, Web 2.0 tools, PCATS, PCI Stories, POS/Back Office, Benchmarking, and more! Arrive a day early and you can work on a Habitat for Humanity House. This share group will be held January 28-29 in New Orleans at the Embassy Suites. Go to www.sigma.org for the full agenda and registration information.
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SIGMA SPRING CONVENTION
By now you should have received your informational packet about SIGMA’s Spring Convention. Take the time to register now and save on airfare and registration fees! The Convention will be held at the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort on April 29 - May 2 in Tucson, Arizona. Here’s a glimpse of what will be on the education schedule: Parade of BIO-Fuels; New Products in the Pipeline, CBOB and its Growing Influence in the Discretionary Blend Markets; PCI; Forecasting Foodservice: What Lies Ahead? Franchise vs. Your Brand and More!; No Free Lunch—Beware the Hidden Agendas (In the Contracts); Dealer Networks: Risk, Reward, Marketing and Support; How Banking World is Changing and Manage Your Business Effectively; Building Your Supply Chain and Manage the Risk; Mitigating Environmental Litigation; and Maintaining Sales Before and After an Acquisition. For more information, visit www.sigma.org.
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PLAN YOUR NEW YEAR’S GETAWAY!
Kick off 2010 with a bang! Join us in Vail and spend the long weekend with the country's leading fuel marketers and their families at SIGMA’S 2010 Executive Leadership Conference at the Vail Marriott Mountain Resort & Spa, January 17-20, 2010. Ski, fish, snowboard--all while networking with top execs in the business! This conference provides a unique opportunity to learn at the business strategy sessions in the mornings and then spend the afternoons skiing with friends, family, colleagues, and peers! Plus, you'll get a chance to see some of the latest tools and technologies at our table top exhibit area during a fun Apres Ski party.
Education
Your Tobacco Future, Nik Modi, UBS Investment Research; Market Trends Update: Hypermarkets, Supply, Brands and Fuel Demand Shifts, Joe Leto, Energy Analysts International; Operations Streamlining: Cost Containment, Automation and Margin Operations, Cathy Duncan, DTN and Marketer Panel, TBA; Strategic Leadership and Crisis Abatement, Bruce Blythe, Crisis Management International; Coffee: What’s All the Buzz Anyway?, Dick Boyd, Boyd Coffee Company; Sales: Management by Accountability, Scott McLaughlin, Achievement Strategy ; PCI Compliance Updates, Marketer/Supplier Panel; Industry Insurance Update: What You Really Want to Know, Mike Kerr, Federated Insurance; Taking Advantage of Financing in a Distressed Marketplace, Corey Henriksen, Acquisition & Refinance Capital
Tours & Special Events
Vail offers so much for you to do and SIGMA has planned special events for you to participate in at the ELC. On Sunday, January 17, participate in First Tracks by being the first skier on the Beaver Creek Mountain with private ski instructors guiding you down the mountain. On Tuesday, choose between three tours in the afternoon. Snowmobile at the Top of the Rockies where you will enjoy endless miles of open meadows and spectacular 360 degree panoramic views of the Continental Divide. Or enjoy an afternoon of “catch and release” fly fishing while participating in a Half Day Wade with guides. The third option is to participate in an afternoon adventure of dog sledding which is a truly unique adventure that you will never forget. Make sure you guarantee your spot on these tours and register today by calling 703-709-7000 or on the web at www.sigma.org.
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SIGMA Weekly Report December 18, 2009 © Copyright SIGMA, 2010
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