WASHINGTON — Federal regulators would have more authority to monitor electronic energy markets and guard against market manipulation under legislation approved today as part of the congressional farm bill.

The provision would close what lawmakers have called the "Enron loophole," which was created in 2000 largely at the request of Enron Corp. It exempted electronic markets for large traders from government oversight.


"We are putting back the cop on the beat," said Sen. Carl Levin, a Michigan Democrat who sought the legislation along with Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Olympia Snowe, R-Maine.

The provision was included in a $290 billion farm bill that was sent to President Bush with broad support. Both the House and Senate passed the bill with large margins, meaning it would be expected to override a threatened veto by the White House.