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Jul. 20, 2008
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WASHINGTON DIGEST: Speculating, drilling leases debated

Republicans sink 'use it or lose it' bill

By TONY BATT
STEPHENS WASHINGTON BUREAU

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, right, watches Monday as Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., shows a chart of the outer continental shelf oil leasing program during a briefing on Capitol Hill.
Photo by The Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- As gasoline prices continued to rise last week, both the House and Senate talked about solutions but didn't deliver any relief because of partisan bickering.

The House voted 244-173 to pass a "use it or lose it" bill that would strip oil companies of leases they own on federal land where oil drilling is allowed but is not being done.

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    • A simple majority was not sufficient to pass the Democratic plan, however.

    Since Democratic leaders brought the bill to the floor under an expedited procedure to block Republicans from offering their own proposal for offshore drilling, House rules required a two-thirds majority for passage.

    Democrats said 68 million leased acres are not producing oil, and drilling on those acres could help lower gasoline prices.

    Republicans and the Bush administration, which issued a veto threat, argued the bill would discourage companies from seeking new leases for exploration. GOP leaders said the Democratic measure would create a fear that leases would be lost if oil and gas are not produced rapidly enough.

    Reps. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev.; and Jon Porter, R-Nev., voted for the "use it or lose it" plan.

    Rep. Dean Heller, R-Nev., voted against it.

    Meanwhile, the Senate bogged down in debate over competing strategies to address the oil crisis.

    Democrats introduced a bill to crack down on commodity speculators they claim are driving up oil prices.

    Republicans offered their own bill targeting speculators but also advocating offshore drilling.

    MEDICARE VETO OVERRIDDEN

    On the same day President Bush vetoed a Medicare bill, the House and Senate voted overwhelmingly to override the veto, making the bill a law.

    The bill canceled a 10.6 percent pay cut for doctors who treat Medicare patients. Medicare formulas periodically impose the cuts, which are usually negated by lawmakers.

    This year, Congress restored doctors' payments by reducing funds for Medicare Advantage, a Bush-favored program that lets patients receive benefits through their own private health insurance plans.

    As a result, private insurers will pay $14 billion over the next five years to prevent cuts in payments to doctors.

    After the House voted 383-41 to override the veto, the Senate voted 70-26 to make the override official.

    Berkley, Heller and Porter voted to override.

    Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., voted to override.

    Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., voted to sustain Bush's veto.

    GLOBAL AIDS PROGRAM PASSES

    The Senate voted 80-16 to spend $48 billion overseas during the next five years to battle AIDS and other diseases.

    Among other things, the measure would repeal a 1987 ban on HIV-positive visitors to the United States. Only 11 other countries still have such a ban.

    The House passed a similar bill in April and signaled it would accept the Senate version.

    Bush, a strong supporter of the original global AIDS legislation in 2003, is expected to sign the Senate bill into law.

    Bush praised the Senate vote, saying it ensures America will continue to play a leading role in fighting diseases around the world.

    Reid voted for the global AIDS program.

    Ensign voted against it.



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    jake wrote on July 20, 2008 07:01 PM: the last 30 years we have had some democrack environment coalitions fighting in court at every turn with some foney reason to stop oil companies from drilling, building refineries and bank rupt the nuclear industry. you may have a lease but if it takes 10 years to get a permint because of these foney environmental coalitions then you couldn't have a dat specific.
    thank a democrack this november for the, high electrical rates, high food prices and high gasoline prices vote no


    tim wrote on July 20, 2008 03:13 PM: yeah and i was just pointing out my primary beefs with the democratic party.


    Travis wrote on July 20, 2008 02:13 PM: tim, I never said the Dems were innocent. I was just pointing one of my primary beefs with the Republican party.


    ths wrote on July 20, 2008 02:11 PM: It is big oils fault for the high prices, not the government telling them they can't drill offshore or in Alaska.

    Big oil can lock up the land and not drill just like years back Getty baught oil wells in CA and then turned them off. It was not worth $20 a barrel to pump so let it go higher and then pump. Now we are just playing in triple digits.


    TimeRanger wrote on July 20, 2008 12:44 PM: Why don't they do like what is done with private land leases - When the lease is signed, it is good/effective between certain dates ONLY.


    shulz wrote on July 20, 2008 11:39 AM: PORTER JUST FLIP-FLOPPED! ON JUNE 26 HE VOTED AGAINST "USE IT OR LOSE IT".

    GEE, IS HE RUNNING IN A DEMOCRATIC DOMINATED DITRCIT?


    Not Dean-O wrote on July 20, 2008 11:38 AM: I live in Heller's district and his vote for oil companies to sit on leases without producing oil for decades is wrong! He is not really in favor of producing oil for US! Dean-O, why give companies that are already sitting on over a billion acres (what the hell is with the 68 millian acre fable?), of off-shore leases more leases?! The law already allows the president to determine, along with Secy of the Interior the quantity of oil to be produced per well.

    Dean-O, if your son was sitting there at the table with 50 steaks on his plate would you think he needs another 50 steaks while your daughter has no steak on her plate? Of course not, so produce or let the lease go to someone who will do something with the lease!


    tim wrote on July 20, 2008 10:53 AM: did you notice most campaign contributions to dems.come from closet socialist like hollywood,soros,moveon.org loonies, etc.while the biggest contributor is the rockefellers,big oil barons,owners of shell gas.works both ways travis.another example of surrendering our country to the u.n.by a few filthy elite.


    Travis wrote on July 20, 2008 10:44 AM: Republicans are hell bent on off-shore drilling but not requiring oil companies to produce. Open up more land for their oil buddies to sit on and not drill, great idea. Is anybody surprised that most of the "campaign donations" from oil companies go to Republicans? Such an absolute scam on the American consumer. Withholding potential supply while wanting more at their disposal. Another example of the disgusting and despicable side of greed all too present in our country.


    tim wrote on July 20, 2008 09:17 AM: another show for the benefit of themselves,now they can blame each other again.


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