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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Sully- who wrote (17643)	11/25/2003 1:21:46 AM
From: LindyBill	Respond to of 793883

I am happy to see the Energy bill go under. It was all pork. washingtonpost.com Senate Energy Bill Dead for This Year By Dan Morgan Washington Post Staff Writer Tuesday, November 25, 2003; Page A04 Senate Republicans last night abandoned attempts to pass energy legislation this year after efforts by the White House to find a way out of the impasse that has stalled action on the bill since Friday failed to produce results. Officials vowed to make a fresh attempt to move the huge measure, a top priority of the Bush administration, after Congress reconvenes in January. But with the Senate immersed in a crucial debate on Medicare legislation and senators eager to leave this week for an extended holiday recess, GOP leaders decided to postpone further consideration. A spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) said, "While Senator Frist is committed to the energy bill, it appears in the short time we have left before we recess for the holiday, we will not be able to take up the legislation again." The House easily passed the energy bill last week. On Friday, however, GOP leaders in the Senate fell two votes short of the 60 needed to cut off debate and have a roll call. Hectic efforts to win over two Democrats or some of the six Republicans who voted against ending a filibuster proved fruitless, sources said. Backers of the bill reportedly wooed the two Hawaiian Democratic senators with the possibility of concessions to Native Americans. Also discussed was a proposal to shore up a fund that provides health and other benefits for retired miners -- a priority of the two Democratic senators from West Virginia who voted against limiting debate. Some senators in both parties expressed anger at a controversial provision in the bill that provides limited immunity from lawsuits to makers of the fuel additive methyl tertiary-butyl ether, which has been implicated in groundwater contamination in California. House Republican leaders from Texas and Louisiana, where the product is made, insisted on the provision in negotiations with the Senate. Suggestions that it be modified were reportedly rejected over the weekend. Sources said an official in Vice President Cheney's office sounded out Rep. Joe Barton (R-Tex.) about the possibility but was told there would be no further compromises with the Senate. Frist spokeswoman Amy Call told the Associated Press that work would continue during Congress's holiday recess "to bring all sides to an agreement." washingtonpost.com