US energy bill portions could end up in funds bill

[Robbien]

Faced with Democratic-led rejection of a broad energy bill, Senate Republicans said Friday they might try to resuscitate some parts of the legislation by tacking them onto a must-pass federal spending bill before Congress. In a procedural vote of 57-40, the Senate failed by three votes to end a filibuster, or obstructive debate, on the energy bill.

Democrats and moderate Republicans oppose the bill because it would protect petrochemical companies from lawsuits for contaminating water with MTBE, a gasoline fuel additive. More than 1,500 cities say they face costly cleanups because water supplies were tainted by MTBE, a suspected carcinogen.

Under Senate rules, the 1,200-page energy bill cannot be amended. The procedural vote on Friday put the fate of the bill in jeopardy. Republicans huddled after the vote to determine what options exist to revive at least some parts of the legislation.

Idaho Sen. Larry Craig said Republicans were mulling whether to take some provisions of the bill and insert them into other legislation, such as the omnibus appropriations bill. That is a multibillion-dollar federal spending bill that Congress must approve before it adjourns for the Thanksgiving holiday.

http://www.forbes.com/home_europe/newswire/2003/11/21/rtr1157042.html

so they want to add this godawful thing along with the godawful overtime bill to the bill that cannot be voted against: The almighty omnibus appropriations bill!

[slaveplanet]

1. kick

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

2. .

Speaking as someone who has been poisoned by MTBE, I find this to be highly irritating.

[salin]

3. have to show the energy boys that their $s to you and bush

get them some payoff. They might just not give as much this election cycle - so we have to find a way to live up to our bribe - er - part of the bargain.

[9215]

4. What company makes MTBE?