Thread: House passes 3 bills to expand, speed offshore drilling

May 12, 2011

House passes last of 3 bills to expand, speed offshore drilling

03:11 PMPrint Share By Michael Winter, USA TODAY

As CEOs of the five largest oil companies told Democratic senators why the industry still needs $2 billion a year in tax breaks, the Republican-controlled House passed the last of three bills to expand and speed up offshore oil and natural gas drilling.

Passed 243-179, the House measure opens up drilling in areas off the West and East coasts, Alaska and the eastern Gulf of Mexico, the Associated Press writes. Following last year's Gulf oil disaster, President Obama pulled back leasing in some of those spots. Pacific drilling was never considered.

The House passed the first bill last week. It would force the federal government to conduct three lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico and one off the Virginia within a year, or by June 2012. On Wednesday, the House approved a measure to require the Interior Department to act on offshore drilling permit requests within 30 days.

All three bills are opposed by the Democratic-controlled Senate and President Obama, so they have no chance of being approved in their current form.

Today's Senate Finance Committee hearing featured the CEOs of Shell Oil Co., ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, BP America and Chevron Corp. Together those companies booked total first-quarter profits of $36 billion, and Democrats said they wouldn't miss the tax breaks they propose taking away to help solve the multi-trillion federal budget hole.

The CEOs disagreed.

"Tax increases on the oil and gas industry — which will result if you change long-standing provisions in the U.S. tax code — will hinder the development of energy supplies needed to moderate rising prices," said Chevron CEO John Watson "It will also mean fewer dollars to state and federal treasuries and fewer jobs — all at a time when our economic recovery remains fragile and America needs all three.

"Singling out five companies because of their size is even more troubling. Such measures are anti-competitive and discriminatory."

The Hill has excerpts of testimony from all five.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities ... drilling/1

To Hell with the environment, the animals (espeically the endangered ones), people who enjoy clean beaches and value wildlife, to Hell with clean, safe-to-eat seafood, as long as it makes the ultura-rich richer, who cares, right?

Originally Posted by sacredrage

To Hell with the environment, the animals (espeically the endangered ones), people who enjoy clean beaches and value wildlife, to Hell with clean, safe-to-eat seafood, as long as it makes the ultura-rich richer, who cares, right?

agreed

greed

something how the meaning of that word chnges with one little letter

Republicans also got them tax breaks

"All three bills are opposed by the Democratic-controlled Senate and President Obama, so they have no chance of being approved in their current form."

Then in my opinion these are three of the GREATEST bills known to man
kind.
Sure.. the oil company's hate mother nature and the earth. Now tap some
more on your tofu keyboard.

Brazil loves us, and of course the Middle east, and their so much more
respectful and responsible. My wind powered car works great and my gold
fish is hungry but so proud.
Hey we are America and we cant do anything right and it is all those
darn free market irresponsible ocean hating caribou slaughtering want to
be oil companies fault. I want their behinds burned. Not their oil!!!

Airedale, do you really have a wind-powered car? (other than a bicycle!) I'd love to know more about it!!

The answer is not "drill baby drill", but solar powered vehicles. No more pollution, no more depending on enemy states for our energy needs, problem solved. But the ultra rich are reluctant to find another way to make money that doesn't destroy the environment and threaten the safety of Americans.

Every drop of oil that is left in the ground is a total waste of a natural resource.

Don't waste natural resources.

It's not sound reasoning to want to keep on doing things that in the end destroy our health and where we live. I'm sure God didn't intend for oil He created to pollute the air and the oceans (and our health).

http://www.setamericafree.org/ This is a good start until we become totally oil-free.