House Republicans Kill Democratic Effort to Open Strategic Petroleum Reserve
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FOX- The House on Thursday defeated a Democratic-backed initiative aimed at driving gasoline costs down, and Democrats and Republicans continued to blame each other for stalling each other’s energy agendas.
Thursday’s bill would have released about 70 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, roughly a three-day supply. The reserve is designed to keep oil in stock in the event of an emergency.
The 268-157 vote in favor of releasing the oil was not enough to overcome a rule requiring a two-thirds supermajority to win the measure. With 425 House members voting, Democrats would would have needed 284 votes to pass the package.
But the loss isn’t without benefit to Democrats.
Democrats have been bringing energy-related bills to the floor with the two-thirds requirement in an effort to stave off GOP efforts on drilling offshore in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
The two-thirds requirement prevents Republicans from offering amendments or other procedural tactics to get ANWR on the table. Many Democrats concede there’s probably enough support in the House to pass an ANWR drilling measure if it came up under normal, simple majority rules.
July 26th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
AGREE 1000%.
The defeatocrats are forcing this nation to look elsewhere for energy when the un-tapped reserves are more than the entire middle eastern region.
Tapping the reserve DOES NOTHING to increase supply.
July 27th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
“when the un-tapped reserves are more than the entire middle eastern region.”
Do you lie much SgtLOL?
July 28th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Menonymous - suggest you read some facts before posting. Rather than post the unbiased links on this topic, do a little research. You may actually learn something………never mind…..sarcastic boobs without the courage to post under a real name don’t learn. They’re cowards afraid of the truth.
You claim to be an “expert” on the oil situation yet you NEVER provide anything but unsubstantiated crap when you post…………very intellectual of you.