You are at: home > Political News > 84203

House to Vote on Easing Drilling Moratorium (CQPolitics.com)

The House will vote Friday on a measure that would ease the Obama administration's temporary ban on new deepwater drilling.

The legislation, offered as an amendment to a bill that would overhaul the rules for offshore drilling, was added to the House schedule late Thursday after dozens of Democrats from oil-producing states threatened to oppose the overhaul.

The amendment by Louisiana Democrat Charlie Melancon and Mississippi Democrat Travis W. Childers would exempt drillers from the moratorium if they demonstrate compliance with new safety requirements issued by the Interior Department.

As many as 30 "oil-patch" Democrats had signaled they would oppose the offshore drilling overhaul Friday because of concerns about the moratorium, which was thrown out by a federal court in June. The administration later issued a revised ban, sparking intense criticism from Republicans and industry-friendly Democrats, who say the economic effect of the pause outweigh the risks from a second oil spill.

Also made an order was an amendment by Harry Teague, D-N.M., and Sheila Jackson-Lee, D-Texas, that would allow companies to meet stringent new financial requirements for obtaining federal leases by pooling their resources. The approach is similar to a proposal under discussion in the Senate that would allow the industry to collectively share the unlimited liability for economic damages that companies would face under both the House and Senate drilling overhauls.

That unlimited liability provision has sparked considerable opposition from industry, Republicans and some Democrats, but the Rules Committee did not allow votes on amendments that would have removed or altered the language from the House bill.

The House overhaul would break up the Interior Department's main offshore drilling regulator into separate regulatory and leasing functions, imposes numerous new safety provisions, while requiring some holders of leases to renegotiate royalty payments disputed by industry after a successful legal challenge. Companies that do not would be barred from receiving future leases.

The House is expected to pass the bill Friday before departing for the August recess. In the Senate, a vote to proceed to a companion bill is possible Aug. 4, although it's unclear if Democrats can produce the 60 votes necessary to take up the bill.

---

This new is the courtesy of yahoo news.

more...

Political News

• Obama: Economy is better off with Democrats in charge (McClatchy Newspapers)
  Wed, 08 Sep 2010 21:49:00 GMT
  McClatchy Newspapers - WASHINGTON — Trying to persuade voters that he has ideas to strengthen the weak economy — and therefore that they should vote for Democrats in November — President Barack Obama Wednesday proposed major tax incentives for business and accused Republicans of stonewalling in a bid to "ride this fear and anger all the way to Election Day."
• Congress Must Save Stem Cell Research (CQPolitics.com)
• Overhaul law may boost health spending only slightly (McClatchy Newspapers)
• Parties Prepping for Castle to Be Senate Nominee (CQPolitics.com)
• Cartel-Plagued Mexico: As Bad as Colombia? (The Atlantic Wire)