CQ TODAY ONLINE NEWS
– ENERGY
Aug. 26, 2008 – 4:15 p.m.
House Democrats Push Energy Plan; In Senate, ‘Gang of 10’ Grows
By Edward Epstein and Catharine Richert, CQ Staff
Efforts to break the logjam in Congress over offshore oil drilling gained new momentum Tuesday, when six more senators signed onto bipartisan energy legislation and House Democratic leaders unveiled a repackaged energy plan.
During a news conference at the Democratic convention in Denver interrupted by protests from backers of presumed Republican presidential nominee John McCain , House leaders reiterated plans to bring a wide-ranging energy package to the floor when Congress returns next month.
The legislation will include an expansion of drilling in federal waters accompanied by tougher environmental safeguards and a rollback of tax and royalty breaks for oil companies.
“We are willing to expand drilling in the outer continental shelf but to do so in a responsible way and as part of a comprehensive energy package,” said House Natural Resources Chairman Nick J. Rahall, D-W.Va.
Republicans in both chambers have tied up legislative business with demands for a vote to expand oil and gas drilling off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Since 1982, Congress has put most U.S. coastal waters off-limits to drilling through a statutory moratorium that has been re-enacted annually in the Interior appropriations bill.
The most recent moratorium was included in the fiscal 2008 omnibus spending bill (PL 110-161), which expires when the fiscal year ends Sept. 30.
Without a compromise, Republican demands to drop the moratorium could complicate passage of a continuing resolution necessary to keep the government running in the new fiscal year. The closely divided Senate needs GOP support to pass a spending bill. In the House, there are enough Republicans to sustain a presidential veto.
The new Democratic package is still being drafted. House Republicans said any consideration of it should include the opportunity to offer counter-proposals.
“We’re very content to live with the outcome [of the debate] so long as we are allowed open debate on amendments,” said Rep. Tom Price , R-Ga.
Democrats said they are not sure Republicans will get that opportunity.
“They’re not interested in legislating,” said Massachusetts Democrat Jim McGovern , a senior member of the Rules Committee, which sets the terms of debate for legislation that comes to the floor. “They’re interested in derailing things.”
The Democratic leaders said their plan would tie new offshore drilling to a rollback of tax breaks and royalty-free leases for oil companies as well as a requirement to drill on existing leases. Incentives for development of alternative energy sources, new technologies and mass transit would also be part of the package. Rahall said he wants the bill to include protections against “cronyism, malfeasance and neglect” by officials running the Interior Department program that administers in-kind royalty payments on federal property.
Republicans said the Democratic plan lacks a strategy to cultivate new energy sources in the United States, such as opening new areas offshore to oil and gas drilling or tapping new natural gas supplies.
House Democrats Push Energy Plan; In Senate, ‘Gang of 10’ Grows
“They say they are saving the earth,” said Texas Republican Louie Gohmert , in a reference to recent comments by Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. “But it’s a hard choice to make when so many people are suffering financially due to high gas prices.”
‘Gang of 10’ Adds Members
In the Senate, a bipartisan group of senators calling themselves the “Gang of 10” have proposed draft legislation designed to end the impasse by linking provisions that would expand offshore drilling with conservation, consumer tax credits and development of alternative energy sources favored by most Democrats.
The bipartisan coalition got a boost with the addition of Republicans John W. Warner of Virginia, Norm Coleman of Minnesota and John E. Sununu of New Hampshire and Democrats Tim Johnson of South Dakota, Thomas R. Carper of Delaware and Ken Salazar of Colorado.
“We all feel a sense of urgency to help ease fuel prices in the short term while addressing our long term needs,” said North Dakota Democrat Kent Conrad , who helped engineer the bipartisan coalition. “This comprehensive, bipartisan framework is now backed by a Gang of 16 because it puts every option on the table.”
Georgia Republican Saxby Chambliss expressed confidence the group will continue to grow when Congress returns from summer recess.
“The American people are looking for action on the energy crisis,” Chambliss said. “They are not looking for a political issue.”
While the public may not be looking for a political issue, Republicans found one in the debate over offshore drilling, which has become a lightning rod for public dissatisfaction about record gasoline prices.
Since Congress recessed the month, Republicans have held a daily vigil in the House chamber to demand a vote on offshore drilling, and both President Bush and McCain have reversed their previous opposition to more offshore drilling to put Democrats on the defensive.
Rep. Rush D. Holt , D-N.J., said he expects the Bush administration to move quickly in its final days to issue new offshore leases if the moratorium is allowed to lapse.
“I hope that we don’t let it expire, that we negotiate something,” Holt said. “But I suspect the president will not negotiate. If not, we’ll have to drive a hard bargain.”
Comments
Nancy Pelosi said, "You want to talk about drilling offshore? Let's talk about profits made by the oil companies without paying royalties. They're taking your oil without paying any royalties." Translation: Nancy isn't interested in lowering gas prices for consumers. It's all about money being paid by consumers to oil companies and then funneled to the government as a "royalty." Unfortunately, most Americans are apparently too economically ignorant to comprehend political hack Nancy's plan, which is a tax increase on consumers. That's you! DORUNDA.COM
POST A COMMENT
Oops! The following errors must be addressed: