6 more senators seek end to oil drilling impasse

One News Now ^ | August 26, 2008 | Dina Cappiello (Associated Press)

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Six more senators on Tuesday joined a bipartisan group of 10 senators backing a bill they say will break the stalemate over offshore drilling in Congress.

Three Democrats and three Republicans joined the so-called Gang of 10, making it the Gang of 16. The group supports a bill that would lift a ban on oil and natural gas drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and off the southeastern U.S. coast, invest $20 billion in the development of petroleum-free motor vehicles and extend tax credits for renewable energy.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

This just makes me furious, but what can I do? When it comes to the U.S. Senate, power deludes, and absolute power deludes absolutely.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

This is an excerpt, by the way. Click on the source link to read the rest of the article.

[ken21]

they must really be out of touch with reality!

[netmilsmom]

Oy!

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

PING!

[aimhigh]

Anybody know the bill number or name?

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

S. 666?

[Colonel_Flagg]

According to the article, Coleman is one. I might have freaking known.

Repeatedly wrong on ANWR and now abandoning the base on energy. “He’s not Al Franken” is just barely good enough for me at the moment.

[Smokin' Joe]

invest $20 billion in the development of petroleum-free motor vehicles

No plastic, no petroleum based lubricants, etc...My rip-off meter just pegged. Are they horse drawn?

[Southack]

Politics is like making sausage...lots of dirty dealings go on behind closed doors.

In this case, any bill that the Senate comes up with must be reconciled with the House...and then must pass by President Bush.

In the meantime, the Congressional ban on offshore drilling expires at the end of this fiscal year (September 30)...so Democrats have to agree to some sort of compromise on the ban...otherwise they lose the entire ban.

This gives us the power, and as noted above, we don’t have to win everything in the Senate; the reconciliation process might win us a point or two with the House bill, as well.

And if it all isn’t enough, then the whole ban expires.

So we’re in great shape. There will be more drilling. The question is how much.

[Politicalmom]

PING!!

Please FReepmail to be added to the Congress Watch ping list.

[tobyhill]

***Sununu said Tuesday that while he favors lifting the moratorium entirely, the bipartisan bill opens up new areas and has a chance of being passed this year.***

I guess the idiot doesn't realize that the entire ban expires on Oct 1 without any new law in place. This is a case where the do-nothing congress needs to live up to their name.

[FlingWingFlyer]

"...petroleum-free motor vehicles..."

ROTFL! Now that's funny! I don't care who you are, that's funny right there! These wacky politicians really need to stop trying to pass themselves off as scientists or engineers. They're buffoons! That's about as good as it's going to get.

[3AngelaD]

Well, if the petroleum-free vehicles run on natural gas, I think that might be acceptable. If it is more subsidies for corn, no way, jose. Darn devil is always in the details.

[TennTuxedo]

The U.S. Senate is a good ole boys club, where they are only interested in taking care of each other and their personal interests.

U.S. Senators dont care about the us, little "peons" at home.

[tobyhill]

The GOP holds the cards and can easily have it all but are about to give some up for no reason.

[BlueNgold]

The 3 new GOP ‘converts’:
Sununu (NH) - who says he wants the entire off shore drilling ban lifted, but will support the compromise in the interim.
Warner (VA) - no additional comments.
Coleman (MN) - no additional comments.

I am caught between wanting the compromise passed so drilling can begin ASAP, and praying that the dems fight a losing battle and we can hammer them at the polls in Nov. The down side is - if they hold control of either house - they will call it a ‘win’ and table the issue. If we can get one step moving in the right direction we may be able to get some momentum on the issue.

[tobyhill]

There's nothing to table if the GOP would just let the ban expire on Oct 1 and then if the Rats want something make them cry and beg for it.

[Scarchin]

Well - that did it - Sununu is toast.

[Beagle8U]

The RATS in congress already said they are going to attach the drilling ban to the must pass budget bill. If Republicans block it they get blamed for shutting down government.