Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Senate GOP gives up on energy vote
CBS.MarketWatch.com ^ | 12/03/2001 | William L. Watts

Posted on 12/03/2001 3:09:13 PM PST by GeneD

WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) - Senate Republicans on Monday decided to fight another day for energy legislation that would open a portion of Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas exploration.

The full Senate voted 94-1 not to cut off debate on a Republican amendment to a railroad pensions bill. The GOP amendment contained much of a House-passed energy package and a six-month moratorium on human cloning.

Republicans would've needed 60 votes to end debate -- a tall order in the upper chamber, where Democrats hold a slight 50-49 advantage by virtue of Vermont Sen. James Jeffords' decision to bolt the GOP and become a Democratic-aligned independent earlier this year.

Republicans contend they have enough support in the Senate to prevail on the drilling issue in an up-or-down vote. In the end, almost all Republicans opted to join Democrats in voting down a motion to end debate, indicating they would instead look to bring the measure to the floor at a later date. Sen. George Allen, R-Va., was the only member to vote in favor of the motion.

The Senate later voted 81-15 to end debate on the railroad pensions bill. Last week, Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., expressing frustration at Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle's refusal to bring energy legislation to the floor, proposed the amendment to Democratic legislation on railroad pensions. The energy portion of the amendment includes many elements of a bill that passed the House earlier this year, including the controversial ANWR provision.

ANWR drilling has split some Democrats thanks to an intense lobbying effort by some unions, which are traditional Democratic supporters. The Teamsters union has led the charge, arguing that drilling would create hundreds of thousands of jobs.

Environmental groups are vehemently opposed to drilling, contending it would destroy a pristine wilderness. Supporters say extraction could proceed with minimal disruption.

Daschle said the time wasn't right for a vote and has said he would bring a Democratic energy bill to the floor early next year. In addition to the railroad bill, the Senate must deal with defense appropriations, farm legislation, and other issues, including negotiations with the House toward an economic stimulus package.

Monday's developments make it unlikely that Republicans will be able to force an energy vote before Congress finishes business for the year.

Lott acknowledged earlier Monday that it would be difficult to come up with the 60 votes needed to clear the procedural hurdle.

Lott tied the energy proposal to a measure sponsored by Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kans. that would ban human cloning.

Daschle on Sunday told NBC's "Meet the Press" that he's opposed to human cloning, but added that he wants to explore the issues surrounding the technology.

"Obviously, we're opposed to human cloning, but this opportunity to advance research in the effort to bring about cures for some of the most critical diseases in this country also deserves support, and we've got to find that balance," he said.

Advanced Cell Technology Inc. a closely held Massachusetts firm, announced last month that it had successfully produced a cloned human embryo. The company has said it wants to use the technology to produce embryos that it would use to harvest medically useful stem cells, not for creating cloned children.

William L. Watts is a reporter for CBS.MarketWatch.com.


TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS:
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-64 next last
To: ambrose
Senate GOP gives up

They are getting as good at this as the French.

41 posted on 12/03/2001 6:01:10 PM PST by mlo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: GeneD
Sen.Vacantlott and the Wimpicans.........
42 posted on 12/03/2001 6:05:10 PM PST by cayman99
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ChaseR
Whatever.....I am not optimistic....in fact, I would not be surprised if we lose the House also next year.
43 posted on 12/03/2001 6:37:56 PM PST by rwfromkansas
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: HoustonCurmudgeon
I frankly am getting very pessimistic about next year....the precedent for parties of the president in mid elections is not good. Even with this war, I don't see much to look to that would give the GOP a major win next year. We could very likely lose the House.
44 posted on 12/03/2001 6:40:24 PM PST by rwfromkansas
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: GeneD
dasshole knew he had nothing to worry about. Why else would he let it come up? Now dasshole has won yet another battle in this chess game. "We were going to let you vote, obviously you wanted the Issue, not the resolution."

Pay attention.....these have a cumulative effect. Everytime the GOP nuetralizes itself, President Bush loses a little more influence. The dems get a little more. And we sit around and say "The dems are screwing themselves!!!" No way, no how. They have us playing the stupid game.

Trent Lott is an idiot and if the rest of the GOP in the Senate go along with it, they are no better than he is.

45 posted on 12/03/2001 6:52:13 PM PST by Protect the Bill of Rights
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GeneD
MAJOR DEFEAT!!! This was a top-shelf priority with the Bush Administration. The Bush teams proposals were going to reek havoc on the democraps, too. Remember, the Unions are FOR drilling in Alaska. This is a big time dividing issue amongst the democraps. Plus, not only will the Adminstrations proposals help solve our Energy problems, they will also simultaniously help kick-start our decimated economy.

The criminal democraps win another battle:(

46 posted on 12/03/2001 6:52:37 PM PST by jungleboy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GeneD
Oil prices have already spiked with this latest Israel/Palestinian conflict.
All we need is instability in the Middle East to push oil prices through the roof, further weakening our already precarious economy....and then we can all thank Dashole and the Senate Democrats for standing in the way of our energy independence.
47 posted on 12/03/2001 6:58:28 PM PST by Jorge
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: thucydides
Here we are in the middle of war in which we are funneling billions in energy payments to our enemies, and the democrats don't want to let a bill to allow us to develop our own sources of energy come to a vote.

We could say the same with our drug war as well. We funnel money to criminal enterprises by making drugs illegal and I don't hear the Republicans complaining about that. I guess the government makes more money off of drugs being illegal than it does if it were legal so don't expect change. As for oil my guess is the most favored interests now benefit from not opening up ANWAR so it doesn't get opened up. Principles are not involved in these decisions.
48 posted on 12/03/2001 7:42:17 PM PST by verboten
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: GeneD
sounds like more fumigating is needed!
49 posted on 12/03/2001 8:21:26 PM PST by rockfish59
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GeneD
these guys really are pathetic,gutless,spineless,and truly COWARDS....hey,thats what they said about osama......
50 posted on 12/03/2001 8:28:09 PM PST by jd792
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rwfromkansas
#44: "We could very likely lose the House."

And lose it you should....

51 posted on 12/04/2001 12:54:04 AM PST by Jethro Tull
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]

To: GeneD
When the GOP experiences a miserable turnout in '02, they can look back on the actions of their leadership for an explanation.
52 posted on 12/04/2001 1:01:00 AM PST by Polonius
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: spf29
I share your frustration, but when was the last time you ever heard any of the networks report something that clear and sensible to the American people. Ultimately, this White House had better learn to spend its political capital, or it will suffer the same fate as Bush I.
53 posted on 12/04/2001 5:45:35 AM PST by mwl1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: Agent Smith
What does it take to DUMP Chester Lott from his "Republican Leadership" position in the Senate?
This dope is THE spineless loser of all spineless losers.

Agreed! I am soooooooooooooooo disappointed in this (pom-pom) guy. It's time for some new leadership.

54 posted on 12/04/2001 5:53:11 AM PST by DoctorMichael
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: GeneD

I read the other day that the Russians have the second largest oil reserve in the world. It seems to me that the most advantageous solution to our energy supply issue is to buy oil from the Russians instead of the Middle Eastern Nations. The Russians need financial aid and we need oil.

Our economy is in a slump. Many of our citizens are out of work. Why don't we help the Russians develop their oil reserves by sending companies like Haliburton and the many other oil exploration companies that helped the Middle Eastern Nations develop their oil reserves to Russia to help the Russians? By doing this we could put some of our folks back to work and release ourselves from dependance for the things we need on people who hate us. Let them keep their oil and see how well they survive without the bucks we pay them for it!

In the mean time we could start spending some of our money to develop ways of stopping the use of fossil fuel completely.

Yeah, I know, the Russians were our worst enemy until ten or so years ago. But then, so were the Japanese and Germans. After having spent some time out from under the comunist yoke, do you believe that the Russian people will fall for the comunist myth again? The citizens of Russia were our enemies only because their government wished it so.

55 posted on 12/04/2001 6:38:09 AM PST by Otis Mukinfus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GeneD
Senate Republicans on Monday decided to fight another day for energy legislation that would open a portion of Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas exploration.

Don't these people know that it is the age of terrorism and you cannot repent to evil doers? What the heck are those people made of?

56 posted on 12/04/2001 6:52:22 AM PST by lavaroise
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: anniegetyourgun; DallasJ7
The Pubbies are putting their political capital in the bank until next year, when races get going for the mid term elections (IMHO). By the spring, as primaries are getting underway, we will, in all likelyhood, be done with the military affort in Ashcanistan. We might even be into the Saddam phase of the war on terrorism, which will probably raise the cost of oil.

Right now, gasoline prices haven't been this low in years. The public needs high energy prices, a real hit in the wallet, to get their attention focused on WHY we need to open up ANWR.

When "W" gives the state of the union address, you can bet your bottom dollar that he will explain this issue in depth in that clear and reasoned way he has about him, much like his historical September speech explaining the need to go after terrorists abroad. He's built up a trust with Americans that can be capitalized upon because Americans can believe THIS President.

When he hits all the high notes, and the cameras pan the congress, nobody is gonna want to be sitting on their hands like Hillary did.

Besides, if this doesn't work, just whip out the EO pen.....

57 posted on 12/04/2001 7:07:44 AM PST by Go Gordon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: GeneD
It seems to me this gives the GOP a good issue on which to run in 2002; more energy independence.
58 posted on 12/04/2001 7:09:59 AM PST by SuziQ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jethro Tull; Polonius
Wishing for more Hillarys, eh?
59 posted on 12/04/2001 7:12:01 AM PST by anniegetyourgun
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: VRWC_minion
Coooooowwwwwwwwaaaaarrrrrrrdddddddssssssssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!
60 posted on 12/04/2001 8:05:43 AM PST by wny
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-64 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson