US House Republicans Plan Energy Action in June

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives will take up energy legislation in June to tame record-high gasoline prices and boost domestic crude oil production, House Speaker Dennis Hastert said on Friday. With average nationwide gasoline prices above $2 a gallon as U.S. drivers hit the roads for the Memorial Day holiday and the start of the summer driving season, the time is ripe for action, Hastert said.

"The House will act once again next month on common-sense legislation to make America less dependent on foreign oil, to reduce prices at the gas pump and on home utility bills," Hastert said in a statement. His office did not elaborate.

Republican efforts regarding energy legislation could begin as soon as next week and could focus on additional action on comprehensive energy legislation the chamber passed a year ago, congressional sources said. That package includes drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the centerpiece of the Bush administration's energy plan. Moderate Republicans and Democrats in the Senate have repeatedly blocked efforts to give oil companies access to the pristine refuge in Alaska. House lawmakers could also consider ways to cut the number of so-called "boutique" gasoline blends, which U.S. refiners have blamed for supply shortages and high prices, congressional sources said.

House Republicans have been looking for ways to push comprehensive energy legislation forward after the bulk of the plan stalled in the Senate last year. Senate Democrats and moderate Republicans objected to a plan to protect refiners and chemical makers from lawsuits for polluting underground water supplies with a fuel additive. However, the Senate passed a $19 billion package of tax incentives earlier this month that would give federal financial support to a proposed natural gas pipeline from Alaska to the Midwest, as well as other energy production incentives.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=615&ncid=703&e=8&u=/nm/20040528/pl_nm/energy_congress_dc

Bout time the Government gets off its ass.

to the rich and corporate.

now there is a plan! In 10 years Anwr would begin - and then provide 6 months worth of oil needed.

And the rich really need more tax cuts so they will work to cut their oil company profits by lowering the price of oil and gas.

The world ends if Kerry does not get elected 11/04.

Can you enumerate how the world will end if bush wins?

I know it will be a terrible loss for the liberal cause but how do you suppose the world will end by Kerry losing?

He said something about a tension starting in 2004, with another civil war in 2005, and a nuclear attack in 2012.

He said he came back in time to get an IBM computer or something.

I forgot what name he went by.

Will see if I can locate it...

An interesting read!

http://www.johntitor.com/

:scared:

and the GOP vision of a return to economic slaves and rich masters where we keep stealing from the poor while we war yo keep their numbers down and to keep them from thinking about how they are being screwed by the rich is the universe that has the bush being elected in 2004.

I just want a just universe.

And that dream ends if Kerry is not elected.

I am one of the poor that keeps getting taxed out of the American dream while my tax dollars are distributed to those that have not worked a day in their lives.

when you say "those that have not worked a day in their lives"

Just curious

My neighbor for instance...he has two compressed discs (one less than me) and has somehow managed to suck enough government funds to live and own his own house without a single day of work. I work in pain every day and despise those that milk the system while I suffer.

Bush's friends could have set you up

but I guess you're not. You're talking about welfare queens.

enjoy your stay at DU

corporate executives just take, take, take. I would like to see those corporate pigs get out there and do some real honest hard work like the average American has to do just to make a living. Instead of having their greedy hands out for freebies from the government that everyone else subsidizes.

Much harder than the average hard working american - at least twice the hours, far more pressure and far less wasted time. They do that for 20 years before they get to be a CEO - they're work-aholics. They make $100 million a year because they can take $100 Billion and turn it into $110 Billion in a year without taking huge risk (relatively) on bets. When that $10 Billion gain is $2 Billion more than most other CEO's are producing, then the $100 Million is well worth it.

Now frankly, I don't think we should have $100 Billion companies running around. It's like Goliath versus David except when David pulls out his sling, Goliath throws fifty lawyers in the way to ensure that its a 'fair' fight - i.e. hand to hand.

Certainly the company that makes $10 Billion should be paying $3 Billion in taxes, they often get off with 1/5th of that.

The CEO making $100 Million ought to be paying $35 Million in taxes and will probably pay less than 1/2 of that. Spread it out over years, make it show up as capital gains instead of normal income, a nice post-retirement 'consultancy' contract, a nice big loan for some future project, a fat contract to the nephew's company.

posted reply in the wrong place.

Just the US get weaker-lets face it the military is completely stressed out under Bushco-the government debt will get even larger and if you like tax cuts with large government spending Bush is your man but we have already guessed that

at NOTHING to get this filthy bloated corporate welfare plan through and a giant dig at the eyes of everyone you cares about the Planet. If the truth can be told about this POS plan and how it does nothing to benefit the People and the Planet and everything to further enrich their donors it ought to backfire BIG!

:kick:

Perhaps that's where Congress should begin...Oil companies are reporting record profits...in a time of war, it could be argued that they are undermining the country's efforts of winning the war on terror.

solution is HUGE taxpayer giveaways to these very same companies as well as the complete dismantling of environmental protections and the turning over of our last wild lands to their donors. Some plan. They are desperately pushing this at every turn, lets hope the opposition can turn this around and make it bite em on their flabby asses.

nice page on GOP energy policy on the DNC website

http://www.democrats.org/grandoldpetroleum/index.html

they'll blame the Dems for the high gas prices right in time for the election.

Business as usual for these scumbags