Posted on 11/03/2005 10:01:18 AM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - With rising oil prices and record oil company profits serving as a backdrop, the Senate moved one step closer on Thursday to allow companies to drill for oil and gas in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
The Senate beat back an amendment offered by Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., to strike language from a pending budget reconciliation bill that would open the region to producers.
The amendment failed in a vote of 48-51.
Cantwell said the budget bill provided a "sweetheart deal" for the oil industry, which has long sought access to the oil and natural gas supplies thought to lie beneath the refuge.
Republican lawmakers, frustrated with more than four years of failed efforts to overturn a ban on drilling in the region, tucked the language into the budget bill.
Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., said it was time to make available known U.S. reserves of oil to boost available supplies and counter rising fuel prices.
The bill would authorize companies to create a 2,000-acre footprint in the northern most portion of the refuge - the so-called coastal plain section, which includes 1.5 million acres bordering the Beaufort Sea. But opponents contend the incursion into the refuge will affect a much wider area.
Critics, who have generally opposed all efforts to open the protected area to exploration, said that the legislation won't translate into savings for American consumers at the gas pump because the oil could be sold outside the United States.
The Senate subsequently passed in a bipartisan vote of 83-16 an amendment authored by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., that would prevent any of the oil recovered in the refuge from being sold to foreign markets.
Republicans sponsors also argued that leasing a portion of the refuge would reduce federal spending by generating $2.5 billion in federal leasing bid receipts between 2006 and 2010.
Additionally, companies would pay royalties to the federal government and Alaska. The state and federal government would split these revenues in half.
Environment groups have been waging a national campaign urging senators to vote against the budget legislation and the drilling provision, saying they plan to highlight how members voted in upcoming elections.
The bill still faces a vote in the House, where its chances of passage are good, followed by joint House-Senate negotiations over the final language of the budget bill.
In 1995, President Bill Clinton vetoed a similar bill that would have opened the refuge to drilling.
What exactly did he ever accomplish that has helped America in the least?
Who, and why, are the 16 who voted against the Wyden amendment?
He reminded us, in the most memorable and graphic terms, that voting Democrat is: Just. Plain. Wrong.
BTTT!
What will happen now?
about FREAKING TIME!!!
I guess harry will call for a secret session.
probably absolutley nothing for a very long time.
Legitimized ORAL sex!
What exactly did he ever accomplish that has helped America in the least?
His poor leadership ensured the Republicans gained control of the House and Senate and most state legislatures. For that, I thank him.
His poor leadership ensured the Republicans gained control of the House and Senate and most state legislatures. For that, I thank him.
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A silver lining, indeed.
Excuse me for my ignorance but why do we sell and to who the oil that comes from the Alaskan Pipeline.
Oral sex has been around a LOT longer than Clinton.
However, thanks to him most 4th graders now want to try it...
It looks like we may finally get this. Ted Stevens has been trying to get this since 1980.
"Who, and why, are the 16 who voted against the Wyden amendment?"
Since I have suffered the burden of being a constituant of Ronny Wyden for over 20 years, my question would be--who are the 83 who voted for the Wyden amendement?
Excellent.
How did Coleman vote? He got wobbly and was going to vote against this.
Thank you Senator Domenici, and thank God that there are some politicians in DC who are looking out for Americans!!
The Sierra Club has been hammering their membership to call Congress and tell them to stop this action. There is a huge campaign by enviro_MENTAL wackos to keep us from drilling on ANWAR. They have harmed Americans because of their foolish idea that messing up a few acres of land is more important than we are. They have been VERY active contacting Senators and Congressmen/women to stop this bill. PLEASE contact your representatives and let them know you support drilling in ANWAR. Remember, the squeaky wheel gets the oil. LOL
Today, He voted Yea for the Cantwell amendment which was against the inclusion of drilling at ANWR.
We'll see what he does when the final budget bill is up for approval.
What a disgrace.
As for Coleman, he ought to have gone back home and conducted town hall meetings across the state to explain the need for us to be less dependent upon foreign oil.
Actually the "sweetheart deal" has been enjoyed by OPEC, and American consumers have paid dearly to provide it for them.
>>>Excuse me for my ignorance but why do we sell and to who the oil that comes from the Alaskan Pipeline.
Oil companies sell it to the highest bidder. Why, beacuse they are set up to maximize profits.
Congress in 1995 lifted a ban on export of oil carried on the trans-Alaska oil pipeline, but none of that oil is exported now. Half of Alaska's oil goes to California, 42 percent goes to Washington, about 8 percent goes to Hawaii and a small fraction is refined and used in Alaska.
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