i was out to dinner with tom donahue maybe a year and a half ago or so. we were talking about a number of things on the agenda and the energy policy. at the end of the dinner, by the way, when are you going to get this law done? i was completely taken aback and that was the last thing i expected to hear about it at the dinner. i said why are you bringing that up? why is that a concern? he said are you kidding? i have a bunch of members who are desperate to get this thing done so they can go out and explore and do what's necessary to produce energy for america. so that's what really flagged it for me. i came back and talked to my staff. that's a promise that i would in fact look into it and give it a good faith effort. that's what brought us here. i met with various representatives of those industries and became convinced that american competitiveness and jobs were at stake. we are not here because of any political agenda and not here because the administration decided this was the moment. this is really coming from america's business community. i think pe

president, tom donahue, head of the chamber of commerce, is my friend. he really is. but i'm terribly disappointed in the chamber of commerce. we started out with having a requirement that business and private sector would be required to do certain things -- things. senator lieberman and collins backed off from that. now it's kind of a voluntary deal. it's much weaker than i think it should be, but why in the world would they oppose that. they meaning the chamber of commerce which has sucked in most all the republicans on this. that is really unfortunate. so, mr. president, on behalf of senator lieberman and collins and others, i call up amendment numbered 2731, which is at the desk, i ask that it be reported. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: the senator from nevada, mr. reid, for mr. lieberman and others proposes amendment numbered 2731. mr. reid: i ask for the yeas and nays on that amendment. the presiding officer: is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. the yeas and nays are ordered. mr. reid: thank you, mr. president. on behalf o