Posted on 10/10/2001 5:22:51 AM PDT by Dane
Senate Democrats Halt Energy Action
By H. JOSEF HEBERT, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP)- Senate Democrats, accused by some GOP lawmakers and the administration of stalling on energy legislation, abruptly halted all committee action on energy ``to avoid quarrelsome, divisive'' confrontations, according to several senators.
While limited legislation focusing on energy security still may emerge from Congress, prospects for a broader, more sweeping energy package, viewed as a top priority only a few months ago, probably will be shelved until next year.
``The Senate's leadership sincerely wants to avoid quarrelsome, divisive votes in committee ... and avoid those contentious issues that divide, rather than unite us,'' Sen. Jeff Bingaman (news - bio - voting record), D-N.M., said Tuesday in a statement.
After a meeting with Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, Bingaman announced cancellation of planned votes by his Energy and Natural Resources Committee on energy security this week and on sections of a broader energy bill planned for next week.
The House passed an energy bill months ago before the August recess that included a contentious provision that would allow oil development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which environmentalists staunchly oppose.
In recent weeks, Republican senators had made it clear they intended to push the Arctic refuge drilling proposal before Bingaman's committee and may well have enough votes to get it through.
Some GOP senators have argued that the recent terrorists attacks made even clearer the need for more domestic production including drilling in the Alaska refuge. Opponents of such drilling said the refuge's oil, which would not be available for years, has little to do with today's security problems.
Doug Hattaway, a spokesman for Daschle, said the majority leader had no additional comment, but Bingaman's statement reflects the discussions the two had on prospects for energy legislation and the desire to avoid divisive votes in committee.
Bingaman said it had become increasingly clear to him and to Daschle that there no longer was enough time for broad energy legislation to be completed by the various committees involved.
Bingaman's panel has broad jurisdiction over energy issues, from revamping the electricity industry to oil and gas production and appliance efficiency programs. Other matters, such as energy tax incentives, nuclear power, and automobile fuel economy, rest with other committees.
More importantly, Daschle and Bingaman had become convinced that energy legislation would unleash a bitter confrontation in his committee, particularly over the Arctic refuge drilling, and possibly as well on the Senate floor.
``At a time when Americans all over the world are pulling together with a sense of oneness and purpose, Congress has an obligation at the moment to avoid those contentious issues that divide rather than unite us,'' Bingaman said.
There was no immediate comment from Sen. Frank Murkowski (news - bio - voting record), R-Alaska, a leading supporter of Arctic drilling and the ranking Republican on the energy committee.
Bingaman said he still planned to propose a broad energy bill to Senate leaders for consideration. Hattaway said Daschle has no specific deadline in mind for taking up such legislation.
Earlier Tuesday, Bingaman held hearings on legislation aimed at increasing security of the nation's energy infrastructure, such as power plants, pipelines, high-voltage lines and refineries. Thursday's planned vote on the bill was canceled.
Some security provisions may still be taken up by the full Senate as part of a broader security bill, or separately, according to committee sources who spoke on condition of anonymity. But even that was uncertain.
The legislation would make it easier for private energy companies to conduct criminal background checks on employees. Companies also would be allowed to keep security information about pipelines, refineries and other facilities from being made public.
Other provisions would:
-Allow the Interior Department to hire law enforcers at several hundred dams and reservoirs managed by the Bureau of Reclamation. While the dams have security guards, the guards lack law enforcement powers.
-Shield security information provided to the government by energy companies from being made public under the federal Freedom of Information Act.
-Allow companies to share security information without worrying about antitrust laws
This is such a no brainer especially considering how fast things can change. What happens tomorrow if all the Arab states decide not sell oil to the U.S? These lawmakers need to get a clue.
Why would anyone drill for oil on "the Senate floor"?
Seriously, why are Democrats proud to obstruct the United States?
I say bring it up for a vote and we can truly see who the obstructionists are in the Senate -- what is daschle afraid of? American people might learn the truth that those of us have known all along on here -- the RATS are only on board with President Bush now because the American people approve of what is going on and they will immediately revert back to their obstuctionist ways as soon as they see the opportunity.
It's the sworn duty of socialist, America-hating leftists to do everything they can to sabotage this nation.
Your wrong about one thing, they are totally beholden to POWER, which make them completely corrupt! They truly are rotten to the core.
The US Senate needs to get down to business and pass a comprehensive energy bill that will begin to reduce America's requirement for foreign oil from the current levels of 60%. ANWR needs to be opened up for immediate drilling, along with further drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. We are at war and America needs to be more self-reliant when it comes to meeting our energy requirements.
Well, that's part of it, but the BIGGER part is that the Dems, as things stand today, have very little to run on in 2002. They've looked around and found that they just don't have many issues to campaign on. So they've figured out that if they pass energy legislation NOW, they can't possibly use it as an issue in the campaign. So, they decide NOT to pass it, allowing them to hold it in reserve as an issue.
It's just like "campaign finance reform." They never really wanted that to pass, either. They only wanted it as an ISSUE they could TALK about and then ignore once elected.
This is a standard Dem tactic.
Michael
the RATS are only on board with President Bush now because the American people approve of what is going on and they will immediately revert back to their obstuctionist ways as soon as they see the opportunity.EXACTLY...rto
The American Public better pay attention!
The price of Oil is stabilized right now by the 2 Million Barrels a day Iraq is permittted to sell.
ANWR will only produce 1 Million per day when online.
Then we'd better get started now.
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