U.S. House Leader Cancels Vote on National Energy Policy Bill

[Snellius]

Nov. 10 (Bloomberg) -- House Majority Leader Tom Delay canceled plans to hold a vote on a national energy-policy bill this week, threatening a Republican deadline to pass the measure before a planned congressional recess on November 21.

Republican negotiators have struggled to reach consensus over tax provisions in the bill, which offers more than $16 billion in tax incentives, primarily for oil and gas producers, and nearly doubles the use of ethanol fuel from corn.

The bill is being written in secret, out of view of Democrats, except for its tax provisions. Pete Domenici, the New Mexico Republican who chairs the Senate energy committee, missed a self-imposed deadline to release the bill at 10 a.m. today, and Delay followed with the announcement there would be no votes in the House this week.

``Just because the House doesn't vote this week doesn't mean it's dead,'' said Christine Tezak, a utility analyst with Charles Schwab Capital Markets Group. ``There's a lot of people vested with getting it done. Am I optimistic? Yes.''

http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=apa_LGwBjo9E&refer=home

[Don_G]

1. 300+ Amendments To The Bill

And written in secret?

Dimbo sure knows how to run a government...into the ground!

[underpants]

2. I expect they will run it onto the floor

and tell everyone to vote on it without the chance to really read it. That seems to be MO with this crowd.

[Dover]

3. Exactly right. That's how DeLay operated in Texas redistricting

battle too. Everything last minute, hurry hurry. That's also how the first Patriot Act bill was passed. Emergency! Emergency!

[underpants]

5. And the changes in the last tax cut bill

Originally the Senate approve the child tax care credit for all but the Repubes (in their private meetings) took out the money for those making less that $26,000. They "told" everyone what was in it but they actually told bald faced lies to US Senators.

They have done this several times.

[hatrack]

4. This bill was already a P.O.S.

Now, with more than 300 amendments hanging from it like barnacles, it's really beginning to reek.

[underpants]

6. I wonder if someone could attach a "special prosecutor" bill to it

That would be hilarious.