The Hill reports in House passes energy bill:
House Democrats easily passed an energy bill that was crafted as a response to a shift in public opinion on the divisive issue of offshore drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf.
After surviving an attempt from Republicans to derail the measure by offering a bipartisan bill crafted by Reps. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii) and John Peterson (R-Pa.) as their motion to recommit, the legislation passed 236 to 189.
The GOP motion pitted cosponsor against cosponsor as Abercrombie and Peterson took to the floor to urge their colleagues to vote opposite directions on the bill they crafted together before the August recess.
Peterson pleaded for a different approach than the one taken by Pelosi.
“This is not a perfect bill,” he said of his legislation, “but it’s a damn good start. And it was put together without special interests or lobbyists… It was just members of Congress working together.”
But Abercrombie set the tone for the Democrats who joined him in the work alongside Peterson a group of Republicans, saying he had given his word to support the Democratic leadership’s bill and thwart any attempts to sabotage it. . . .
. . .The motion to recommit failed 191-226. Democratic Reps. Jason Altmire (Pa.), John Barrow (Ga.), Joe Donnelly (Ind.), Travis Childers (Miss.), Tim Walz (Minn.), Donald Cazayoux (La.), Jim Marshall (Ga.), Gene Taylor (Miss.), Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (S.D.), Tim Holden (Pa.), Mike McIntyre (N.C.), Harry Mitchell (Ariz.), and Bill Foster (Ill.) voted with the GOP. . . .
In the final vote on the bill, Republican Jim Ramstad joined all five DFLers in voting for the Comprehensive American Energy Security and Consumer Protection Act. Bachmann and Kline voted against it.
Update: The Post Bulletin's Matt Stolle looks at the issue in Davis sharpens criticism of Walz's drill-for-oil comments. The extensive article is a balanced piece of reporting. Some tidbits:
. . .Walz has said he is not opposed to expanding drilling off the country's coasts, and voted for a bill Tuesday night that includes it. He said it needed to be part of a comprehensive package that lessens America's dependence on foreign oil.
Walz, a Democrat from Mankato, also has signed the T. Boone Pickens' pledge to reduce the country's dependence on foreign oil by 30 percent over the next 10 years.
"What he has consistently opposed is a blank check to oil companies, and that is what Dr. Davis is talking about," said Chris Schmitter of the Walz campaign.. . .
. . .The Walz campaign, however, draws a distinction between the Pelosi bill and the one Walz pushed. Schmitter said that while the House speaker's bill is a step in the right direction, Walz prefers his plan, which he noted has the support of 135 members of the House, including GOP Reps. Michele Bachmann and John Kline.
"Tim Walz supports expanded drilling in the form of a comprehensive plan," Schmitter said. "That's why he is working with colleagues from both sides of the aisle on a bill that expands drilling, but then uses the royalties to invest in renewable fuels, creates new green-collar jobs and reduces the cost of gas."
Go read the entire article at the Post Bulletin. [end update]
Photo: A deep water natural gas well.
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