Cheney talks energy with Senate Republicans

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In one of several meetings Tuesday with congressional Republicans, Vice President Dick Cheney talked over a wide-ranging energy bill with Sen. Frank Murkowski, R-Alaska, the chairman of the Senate Energy Committee.

The most controversial element of the bill is a call to drill for oil in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which President Bush supports. A committee spokesman said the bill also has a number of tax incentives for the development of alternative energy sources, such as solar energy.

Murkowski will introduce the energy bill next week. Once introduced, the energy bill will be examined by the Finance and Energy committees. Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, also met with Cheney on Tuesday.

Cheney was scheduled to attend the weekly GOP policy luncheon in the Senate before shifting over to the House side. He has scheduled meetings with House Majority Whip Tom Delay, R-Texas, as well as with a group of conservative Democrats known as the "Blue Dogs." An aide to Cheney has said the vice president hopes to visit the Capitol an average of once a week.

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