The energy bill in Congress is an exercise in corporate tax breaks

[Robbien]

A Times Editorial
Published September 27, 2003

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Congressional efforts to write an energy bill have been so secretive and corrupted by special interests that the whole mess ought to be thrown out. Republican leaders have not only kept Democrats in the dark, they have ignored concerns expressed by their own party's members. Taking advantage of the urgency to do something after a massive failure of the power grid, they are promoting unrelated policies that reward favored industries while ignoring any balance between consumption and conservation.

Behind closed doors, lobbyists for oil, gas and utility companies are reportedly writing sections of the bill. Not surprisingly, a recent version of the legislation included $19-billion in corporate tax breaks. With a growing federal deficit, Congress can't afford such gifts.

Even key Republicans are skeptical. The House Science Committee, which has jurisdiction over certain energy issues, has been left on the outside because, as Republican Chairman Sherwood Boehlert explained, "we're being told we have to accept on faith what (the leaders) are going to produce, but I always say, "Trust but verify."'

Faith and trust have, so far, produced a bill filled with troubling policies.

Makers of the common gasoline additive MTBE, which has polluted water supplies throughout the nation, would be made immune to defective-product lawsuits. MTBE can cause cancer at high doses and make water undrinkable at lower levels. This provision would make it more difficult to protect public health. It also would threaten the important principle that polluters should pay to fix the damage they have caused.

http://www.sptimes.com/2003/09/27/Opinion/Bill_of_favors.shtml

[bigtree]

1. This is a dangerous bill. It could be a watershed for the conservatives

if it passes.

Republicans will rubber stamp anything that comes out of that closed-door session. This bill must be stopped in committee or else it will have to be fillibustered on the floor of the Senate.

However, the only issue that has been threatened with a fillibuster is ANWAR. I wonder how many Democrats will fold if this bill gets out of committee? Activate!