Posted on 11/05/2004 9:17:09 AM PST by gopwinsin04
Kevin Hand the new executive director of Arctic Power, the pro drilling lobby group based in Washington has told the Fairbanks News Miner newspaper that he believes drillers have picked up supporters in the Carolinas, Florida, and South Dakota.
Advocates counted 48 supporters in the US Senate last year including reported tiebreakers and Democrats.
Today they believe they have 51 supporters.
The first step in the process will be to count ANWR lease revenues in the annual budget resolution.
The resolution, which is supposed to be done by April, sets the overall income and expenditures that Congress expects to live by in the coming year.
(Excerpt) Read more at news-miner.com ...
a TV ad coming soon:
"Hi, we're the Saudi Royal Family and we beg for you to buy our oil. Pleeeeaaassseee buy some oil from us! We'll allow women to wear bikinis and read if you buy a few barrels."
what is ben nelson's (nebraska) stand on this issue?
Not sure, but the linked article has a good breakdown of the new Senators..
The question is whether coastal Flordia and California are back in play as well. That will be the test of how serious we are for energy independence.
doubt coastal florida is in play as Jeb touted the ban on off shore drilling on a couple of shows as a reason to support President Bush.
Hope so..this could be the start of a de-facto working majority in the Senate on this
he was against ... they five dems. that were for drilling ... were both senators from Hawaii, both senators from LA (Breaux and Landreux ... however you spell here name) ... and Zell Miller ...
They should have the majority vote now ...
I think this should be the first push for Bush ...
the second being judicial appointments.
Of course not. This administration is only interested in energy independence and drilling where it doesn't hurt politically.
Democrats who voted against Boxer's amendment were John Breaux and Mary Landrieu, both of Louisiana; Daniel Akaka and Daniel Inouye, both of Hawaii, and Zell Miller of Georgia. All five had voted in favor of drilling last year as well.
The eight Republicans who voted against oil development were Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, both of Maine; Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island; Gordon Smith of Oregon; Mike DeWine of Ohio; Peter Fitzgerald of Illinois; John McCain of Arizona, and Coleman.
Coleman was mentioned in the article as hinting he could have went the over way.
Need 60. There are 35+ Dems who are adamantly against ANWR, and several Republicans might vote against ending debate on the matter. Moreover, some Dems that may be sympathetic to ANWR may vote to keep debate going to send a signal to Bush and the Republicans that they are still a force to be reckoned with. It will be hard to get to 60. Congressman Barton, head of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over the Energy Bill, has indicated that the House will try to get the comprehensive bill (inc. ANWR) through a lame duck sessions. ANWR + MTBE (the gasoline additive) are the big sticking points--several RINOs have objected to the MTBE provision. If the Senate doesn't cooperate, they will break up the bill into pieces they think they can pass.
Most Excellent!
Slowly on this. Let Alaska vote on a referendum stating they want this (make certain it will pass). Then jump on it quick. Make it a states rights issue instead of a Republicans hate the environment issue.
What about lower-48 drilling incentives?
Sharpen the drill bits, and call Halliburton!
Just because they drill in AnWar doesn't mean we get the oil. They can ship it anywhere they want.
Is it any surprise that the price of crude (futures) has gone down about $8 a barrel? Something is in the wind.
Not in our lifetimes. People vote, caribou don't.
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