Blackstart
Saxophonus pinus
Oil: 1 ANWR: 1
There is a bit of good news in this morning's papers, like this from the Washington Post:
House GOP leaders agreed last night to strip plans to permit oil drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and in the offshore continental shelf from a $54 billion budget-cutting measure, probably securing the votes to pass the bill today.
The move is a blow to President Bush, who has made expanded oil exploration a priority since he took office. Lawmakers said the White House applied pressure yesterday to Republicans to save the drilling provisions, especially in Alaska, even wooing conservative Democrats who have steadfastly opposed the GOP budget package.
But the Democrats did not budge, and at least 22 Republicans told the House leadership they would not vote for the sweeping bill unless the drilling provision was removed and they were given assurances that it would not return after House and Senate negotiators hash out a final measure.
However, the same article continues by stating:
...the Senate negotiators on a House-Senate conference committee will include Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Pete V. Domenici (R-N.M.), who have made it clear to House and Senate leaders they will not agree to any final measure that does not include Arctic drilling. One senior GOP aide in the Senate said Domenici and Stevens are willing to bottle up the budget package well into next year if the House does not relent on Arctic drilling.
-Adam
There is a bit of good news in this morning's papers, like this from the Washington Post:
House GOP leaders agreed last night to strip plans to permit oil drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and in the offshore continental shelf from a $54 billion budget-cutting measure, probably securing the votes to pass the bill today.
The move is a blow to President Bush, who has made expanded oil exploration a priority since he took office. Lawmakers said the White House applied pressure yesterday to Republicans to save the drilling provisions, especially in Alaska, even wooing conservative Democrats who have steadfastly opposed the GOP budget package.
But the Democrats did not budge, and at least 22 Republicans told the House leadership they would not vote for the sweeping bill unless the drilling provision was removed and they were given assurances that it would not return after House and Senate negotiators hash out a final measure.
However, the same article continues by stating:
...the Senate negotiators on a House-Senate conference committee will include Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Pete V. Domenici (R-N.M.), who have made it clear to House and Senate leaders they will not agree to any final measure that does not include Arctic drilling. One senior GOP aide in the Senate said Domenici and Stevens are willing to bottle up the budget package well into next year if the House does not relent on Arctic drilling.
-Adam
