House votes on stopping Great Lakes drilling

by The Associated Press

The Bush administration’s goal to increase domestic oil and gas production took another hit in Congress June 28 with a measure that would effectively ban such drilling under the Great Lakes.

The House vote on a ban follows action by the chamber last week to delay oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and block fossil fuel exploration inside national monuments.

Congress has also shown little interest in advancing one of the more controversial elements of the president’s energy plan, drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in northern Alaska.

The Great Lakes amendment to an energy and water spending bill would bar the Army Corps of Engineers from allotting funds to issue new permits for oil or gas drilling under the Great Lakes.

It was approved 265-157. The overall spending bill later passed 405-15.

Just before final passage, however, House Republican leaders won a largely symbolic effort against a natural gas pipeline from Alabama to Florida. The 213-210 vote came after several senior GOP lawmakers decried efforts by those from Florida to block drilling in the Gulf while enjoying plentiful power from elsewhere — previewing likely debate on a broader national energy policy.

“This is the height of arrogance,” said House Majority Whip Tom DeLay, R-Texas. “Florida is happy to burn it but they block the rest of America from securing a steady and adequate supply of natural gas.”

The House Appropriations Committee chairman, Rep. Bill Young, R-Fla., said he would remove the anti-pipeline language from the bill at a later time, which is what the failed amendment would have done.