House GOP May Block Continuing Resolution Over Drilling Debate, Force Government Shut Down

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - Lawmakers are set to return to work on Monday after a five-week summer session that had a contentious debate on offshore drilling spilling over to the Democratic and Republican conventions. Session resumes just as the House GOP ends a floor protest and threatens to block a measure to keep the government running after the fiscal year ends on Sept. 30.

Democrats and Republicans in the Senate adjourned for the summer recess in August without reaching an agreement about an energy bill that aimed to control excessive speculation in oil markets. Republicans were demanding that they be allowed full debate on the measure and to offer provisions lifting the ban on coastal exploration. Democrats opposed offshore drillling amendments because of environmental concerns; they also argued that speculation in energy markets is the root cause of rising oil prices.

A bipartisan group of 10 senators introduced an alternative energy proposal began its recess. The group, led by Sens. Kent Conrad (D-ND) and Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), proposes a bill to lift the moratorium on offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. The measure also gives Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia the option to allow exploration at least 50 miles off their coasts.

The plan, the New Energy Reform Act of 2008, provides $20 billion for improving fuel-efficiency in cars and proposes that 85 percent of vehicles use non-petroleum based fuel in two decades. Itl has no provisions curbing speculation in oil markets, which Democrats say is the root cause of rising oil prices.

In the House, Republicans have been protesting hard line against lifting the 27-year-old legislative ban on offshore drilling and refusal to hold a vote on their bill, the American Energy Act. The measure calls for greater coastal exploration in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), the use of oil shales and the promotion of renewable fuels. Republicans have dubbed it an "all of the above" approach.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), who has made a mantra out of her argument that drilling will "save Americans only 2 cents 10 years from now," indicated a softening of her opposition to drilling last month. In the weekly Democratic radio address, she said Democrats will introduce legislation allowing drilling in some portions of the OCS after Congress resumes session Sept. 8. The bill will have " appropriate safeguards" and no "taxpayer subsidies to Big Oil,'' she said.

Pelosi has also called on President George W. Bush to authorize a drawdown from the Strategic Oil Reserve. But the President has said the stockpile will only be used for emergencies.

Rep. Mike Pence, had led colleagues since the first day of the protest, said in a press conference last week on the final day of the protest that Pelosi needs to allow a vote on the Republican measure to pass a resolution that will keep the government funded and operating past the fiscal year.

Republicans have cited increasing public support for coastal oil exploration. They also made drilling one of the central issues of the GOP convention in St. Paul, Minnesota early last week. But pressure has not swayed some Democrats, notably Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA), chair of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, has stood firm in his opposition to lifting the ban and asked the White House to end all exports of U.S. oil in order to stem rising gas prices.