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

Skip to comments.

Arctic Drilling May Fall From House Budget (Here we go again! Thx to GOP Moderates!)
AP on Yahoo ^ | 11/09/05 | Andrew Taylor - ap

Posted on 11/09/2005 5:27:22 PM PST by NormsRevenge

WASHINGTON - Short of votes and running out of time, House GOP leaders may drop a hotly contested plan to open an Alaskan wilderness area to oil drilling as they try to secure passage of a sweeping budget bill Thursday.

Such a move would be a big setback for President Bush and other advocates of permitting oil exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which has repeatedly passed the House with bipartisan support when considered as part of broader energy legislation. It's always been dropped in the face of promised filibusters by Senate Democrats.

Now that the ANWR drilling proposal is part of a budget bill immune to Senate filibusters, it is the House that's having difficulty advancing the drilling plan. That's because Democrats oppose the overall budget bill, giving House GOP opponents of drilling in the Arctic great leverage to try and force it out of the bill.

Twenty-five Republicans, led by Rep. Charles Bass (news, bio, voting record) of New Hampshire, have signed a letter asking GOP leaders to strike the Alaskan drilling provision from the broader $54 billion budget cut bill.

"Rather then reversing decades of protection for this publicly held land, focusing greater attention on renewable energy sources, alternate fuels, and more efficient systems and appliances would yield more net energy savings than could come from ANWR and would have a higher benefit on the nation's long-term economic leadership and security," said the letter.

Republican leaders have yet to announce any decisions about changes to the $54 billion budget bill, but it's commonly assumed that the ANWR drilling provision will have to be dropped for GOP leaders to have any chance of passing the bill.

"(GOP leaders) understand that this isn't going anywhere with ANWR in it," Bass said.

"They're going to take ANWR out," added Rep. Tim Johnson, R-Ill.

Given the narrow margin of GOP control of the House, it only takes 14 Republican defections to scuttle a bill, assuming every Democrat opposes it.

Still, removing the Arctic oil drilling provision would incite a backlash from lawmakers who strongly favor it, which is a big majority of Republicans. House and Senate GOP leaders are likely to push hard for the final House-Senate version of the bill to include it.

Marnie Funk, a spokeswoman for Sen. Pete Domenici (news, bio, voting record), R-N.M., said that Domenici considers the ANWR provision, which the Senate approved, "one of the most critical components" in the budget package. "He is committed to coming back to the Senate from the conference with ANWR intact," she said.

The oil drilling provision is but one of several parts of the $54 billion budget cut bill under review as House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., negotiates with various Republican factions in an effort to pass the bill Thursday.

• A plan to allow states to waive a 24-year ban on drilling along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and open a contested tract off the Florida Gulf coast to oil drilling. Several Florida Republicans strongly oppose the plan.

• Provisions tightening eligibility for food stamps, especially for legal immigrants. Cuban-American lawmakers from the Miami area are optimistic they will win concessions.

Rep. Don Young (news, bio, voting record), an Alaska Republican strongly supporting opening the refuge to drilling, said he is not optimistic that the ANWR drilling plan approved by the Resources Committee will be kept in the final bill. He said he was "hoping for a cold, cold winter."

The overall bill is a top Republican priority. The Senate passed a milder version of the bill last week that would curb the automatic growth of federal spending by $35 billion through the end of the decade. The House plan cuts more deeply across a broader range of social programs.

Republicans say the debate is an important moment for their party as it tries to burnish its record on the budget deficit and federal spending.

At a closed-door GOP meeting Wednesday, Republican leaders made a plea to lawmakers' sense of party loyalty.

Rep. Pete King, R-N.Y., summarized the pitch made by Republican leaders: "It's critical. It's a defining vote. And it'll keep us in the majority."


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 109th; aholes; anwr; arctic; budget; drilling; house; moderates
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-78 next last
To: Prodn2000
No, not at all. It makes sense to use it when its present value is highest, which is when oil is $60 and you get it now. Anything 20 years from now is worth only a quarter as much - that is present value. If you don't understand it, try borrowing your next 20 year's salary from your bank, and explain you will pay all of it back 20 years from now, dollar for dollar.
41 posted on 11/09/2005 6:32:28 PM PST by JasonC
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: JasonC

That is making a flawed assumption, I believe. There is a very high supply of crude right now. There is moderate demand. If oil is $60 in this market, then I would venture to say that in 10 years with higher demand and less supply that it would be worth more than $60 in inflation adjusted dollars.


42 posted on 11/09/2005 6:36:54 PM PST by Prodn2000
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: johnmecainrino

I've got news for you: Kaine won because if you stick with the same lie long enough people will begin to believe you. He also ran a much better campaign.

Kaine took Henrico County on name recognition and turnout. Areas east of Richmond out to I-295 like Chamberlayne, Laurel, Glen Lea and Highland Springs heavily Democrat anyway. The strongly Republican West End is a different story: Capital One has fired the majority of their West End IT workforce. Many others are leaving Henrico for Goochland, Louisa and to a lesser extent, Hanover and Powhatan.

It may interest you to know that Kilgore took Chesterfield, Hanover, Powhatan, Goochland and New Kent Counties. That is all the counties around Richmond except Henrico and Charles City.


43 posted on 11/09/2005 6:38:58 PM PST by Doohickey (If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice...I will choose freewill.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge

If this happens I may consider joining those who will no longer support the republicans. This is outrageous to the extreme.


44 posted on 11/09/2005 6:40:04 PM PST by Williams
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Willie Green
It doesn't matter if it's global or local, Big Oil doesn't want to bring that much oil onto the market.

It is my understanding that ANWR is just a small drop in the bucket... what are they afraid of? Are you afraid of Big sugar, Big wheat, Big cola, Big cars? It's known as economies of scale in the Capitalist system.

45 posted on 11/09/2005 6:40:12 PM PST by operation clinton cleanup
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

Comment #46 Removed by Moderator

To: NormsRevenge

We are at war...we need fuel....

Executive order the drilling to commence STAT


47 posted on 11/09/2005 6:47:26 PM PST by joesnuffy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: johnmecainrino

No, I cannot vote for either Coburn or Shays. I live in PA. IF a conservative - one who VOTES as one as well as talks like one prior to an election - is running and I can vote for him/her, I will. Otherwise, I will not bother to go to the polls. I am fed up and it did not happen overnight. It took 10 years. I don't put all the blame on RINO's for the governing disaster that the Republicans are. There is no party discipline. There are no votes where Republicans will vote to support the party or find a new one. The Republican party is devoted to one thing (with less than a handful of exceptions in the senate and maybe 20-25 in the house) --- get re-elected and maintain the perks and chairmanships. That's it. Why should I care what happens to them? They neither "mean well" not do they place the interest of the country before their own interests.


48 posted on 11/09/2005 6:49:30 PM PST by penowa
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge
ep. Pete King, R-N.Y., summarized the pitch made by Republican leaders: "It's critical. It's a defining vote. And it'll keep us in the majority."

It'd certainly help to do so. Without, the GOP is coming up incrasingly short.

Since the RINO's are dragging the voter turnout for the Party down, I suggest the Party finally start kicking our RINO butt. Why they would protect those that threaten their own futures...

49 posted on 11/09/2005 6:50:38 PM PST by Soul Seeker (Mr. President: It is now time to turn over the money changers' tables.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: johnmecainrino
Kaine won because his base supported him and Kilgore's didn't. VA is a state that has had 3/4 of its last Governors as dumbocrats. Lots of transplants in NVA and Richmond suburbs from the NE and NY/NJ area who traditionally vote liberal.

However, Kilgore couldn't get his base down here excited and while the NVA and Richmond areas are more democratic, the Beach areas are solidly military which tends to go Republican.

He couldn't close the deal. Maybe it has something to do with the national party falling down around selling its story or the disenchantment that people feel with the current bunch in Washington but this race was his to win and he didn't.
50 posted on 11/09/2005 6:55:13 PM PST by misterrob
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge

This is what I'm saying: campaigning as a Republican is completely useless to voters and wholly fraudulent because the Republican Party stands for nothing but reelection.


51 posted on 11/09/2005 6:57:11 PM PST by Hank Rearden (Never allow anyone who could only get a government job attempt to tell you how to run your life.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge

How come the troublemakers in the republican party always seem to come from the East Coast (with the possible exception of John McCain)?


52 posted on 11/09/2005 6:57:39 PM PST by nightdriver
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Prodn2000

yeah, we can "exhaust" arab oil at $60 a bbl now (higher years from now), while our economy goes into the tank and americans run up more credit card charges to pay for gasoline.


53 posted on 11/09/2005 6:58:07 PM PST by oceanview
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: Prodn2000
You still don't get it. Capital has time value. In 10 years, it has to be worth twice what it brings today just to break even. Because having the value now, furthers all sorts of real investments and projects, every one of which adds value continually.
54 posted on 11/09/2005 6:59:33 PM PST by JasonC
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: operation clinton cleanup
It's known as economies of scale in the Capitalist system.

No it isn't. The correct terminology is "oligopoly".

55 posted on 11/09/2005 7:01:54 PM PST by Willie Green (Go Pat Go!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: oceanview

Isn't the most generous estimate that it would take 8-10 years to see the first drop of ANWR oil to reach the marketplace?


56 posted on 11/09/2005 7:18:23 PM PST by Prodn2000
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]

To: JasonC

From a purely economic standpoint, I do understand your point. My comment was based on a more "national security" and "in 2050 only the US has oil because they didn't drill until they had to" standpoint. At which time the true value of ANWR oil would be measureless.


57 posted on 11/09/2005 7:21:51 PM PST by Prodn2000
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge
Part of the Republican Main Street Partnership.

http://www.republicanmainstreet.org/News/180.htm

Bass has made ANWR an issue at least since April of this year - lots of press releases out there featring the NH and Maine delegations, both House and Senate, as bordering on "Green" party when it comes to environmental issues.

58 posted on 11/09/2005 7:29:11 PM PST by Cboldt
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: johnmecainrino
What really ticks me off is that the rino's have made this party look weak and in turn keep gop voters at home.

The RNC actively supports the RINOs. The party likes RINO's. It probably wishes there more of them, and fewer conservatives.

59 posted on 11/09/2005 7:30:57 PM PST by Cboldt
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: FlingWingFlyer

Then Bass and his comrades won't mind losing the majority in both Houses next year, will they?


60 posted on 11/09/2005 7:32:43 PM PST by Uncle Vlad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-78 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