Thursday, May 18, 2006

And it just doesn't stop...

As if there wasn't enough enviro-whacko news today...

(::::wrapping liberal amounts of duct tape around my head::::)

At at time of $3.00 per gallon gas, at a time when natural gas is at an all time high, at a time when whackos control the lion's share of the world's oil reserves which are a constant threat to our national security, and, in a supposedly Republican-controlled U.S. House, we get this:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The House rejected an attempt Thursday to lift a quarter-century congressional ban on offshore oil drilling in coastal waters outside the western Gulf of Mexico amid arguments that new supplies are needed to lower energy prices.

A proposal to end the long-standing moratorium as it applies only to pumping natural gas was expected to be voted on later in the evening as lawmakers moved toward late-night approval of a $25.9 billion Interior Department spending bill.

The proposal to allow oil drilling in waters off both coasts and in the eastern Gulf of Mexico - areas off limits to energy companies since 1981 - was rejected by a 279-141 vote. It had been offered by Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, who called the drilling ban "an outdated policy" when the country wants to reduce its dependence on imports.

Separately, the House by a 252-165 vote passed a measure that would bar oil companies who fail to renegotiate contacts that allow for federal royalty relief no matter how much oil costs in the marketplace from future oil or gas leases.

The measure was aimed at correcting a mistake made by the Interior Department in the 1990s that failed to put an oil price cutoff for royalty relief. The mistake could cost the Interior Department as much as $7 billion in lost royalty revenues. While the measure does not order these contracts renegotiated it would put pressure on companies to do so, its supporters said.

"Energy companies have been taking oil and gas from the American people for free and then selling it back to them at record prices," said Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-N.Y., sponsor of the amendment.

Need I say more on this???

Aaaaaaaaarrrrrrrghhhhhh!!!!!!!



(Filed under enviro-whackism, RINOs)