Here you go. I am sure you all will have a ball with this little article. Republicans offer a plan and the dimm-o-craps offer negative response. What's new pussy cat.....yeooooouuuuu, yeooooouuuu, yeoooouuuu!
Democrats Attack Bill to Boost Refineries
Oct 07 11:10 AM US/Eastern
By H. JOSEF HEBERT
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON
A new Republican-crafted energy bill, prompted by the hurricane devastation and high fuel prices, came under sharp attack Friday from Democrats who called it a sop to rich oil companies that would do little to curb gasoline or natural gas costs, while hurting the environment.
Supporters argue the measure is needed to spur construction of new refineries. The House was expected to vote on it later in the day.
In an attempt to ease approval of the bill, Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, removed a particularly contentious provision Friday that would have implemented clean air regulation changes long sought by the Bush administration. It would have allowed not only refineries, but also coal-burning power plants and other industries to expand and make changes without adding pollution controls even if emissions increase.
Still, Democrats and a few Republicans lambasted the legislation as debate opened on the House floor.
It does nothing to curb oil use by requiring more fuel efficient cars or promoting alternative energy sources, said Rep. Edward Markey, D- Mass. He called it "a leave-no-oilman-behind bill."
Attempts to add requirements that automakers increase vehicle fuel economy and a measure aimed at producing more natural gas were thwarted by GOP leaders who strictly limited the ability by lawmakers to amend the bill.
"Natural gas is an issue this (Congress) needs to deal with," said Rep. John Peterson, R-Pa., who was prevented under House rules for the bill from offering a proposal that would have opened offshore natural gas resources to drilling.
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita shut down more than a dozen refineries and disrupted natural gas supplies. Gasoline prices soared and huge increases in heating bills are expected this winter for users of both gas and fuel oil.
Barton says vulnerabilities in the fuel supply system exposed by the hurricanes show that the country needs to build more refineries, especially away from the Gulf Coast region. No refineries have been built in the United States since 1976 as the industry has consolidated to fewer, but larger facilities.
The GOP legislation also would limit to six the different blends of gasoline and diesel fuel that refiners would be required to produce, reversing a trend of using so-called "boutique" fuels to satisfy clean air demands. And it would give the federal government greater say in siting a refinery and pipeline. It also calls on the president to designate military bases or other federal property where a refinery might be built.
"The bill weakens state and federal environmental standards ... and gives a break to wealthy oil companies while doing little or nothing to affect oil prices," Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, R-N.Y., said in a letter Thursday to colleagues.
With prices soaring, "oil companies now have all the profits and incentives they need to build new refineries" without government help, he maintained.
Barton countered that it will give industry more "certainty" that a refinery project will not be delayed "without lessening any environmental law now on the books. ... The bill sets in motion a chain of events for lowering gas prices for Americans."
Among the groups trying to kill the bill were the National League of Cities, nine state attorneys general, most environmental organizations and groups representing state officials in charge of implementing federal clean air requirements. They said the bill would hinder their ability to ensure clean and healthy air.
Environmentalists also have argued that the limit to six gasoline types could jeopardize the requirement for use of low-sulfur diesel fuel. The low-sulfur diesel regulations have been touted by the Bush administration as one of the Environmental Protection Agency's most significant accomplishments.
In 1981, the United States had 325 refineries capable of producing 18.6 million barrels a day. Today there are fewer than half that number, producing 16.9 million barrels daily. Still, refining capacity has been increasing, though not dramatically, for the last decade. Imports have made up the difference as demand has continued to increase.
___
The bill number is H.R. 3893. Additional information can be found at http://thomas.loc.gov
How much more do we need to give to the big oil companies?
I don't get conservatives republicans sometimes.
They about "hand-outs" to the needy but have no problem giving big business "hand-outs" when they are making record profits.
Just doesn't make sense to me.
I see a few republicans see it for what it is.
I'm not seeing much of a 'giveaway', at least in this article. Normally I would share Boehlert's sentiments 'cept that the majors have faced plenty of local and state government interference to new refinery development over the last couple of decades. Is it a giveaway when a new refinery cannot be thwarted by communities with a bad case of the NIMBYS?
"interference to new refinery development over"
Their argument was that refining capacity was fine and they were operating on slim margins. Show where the refiners were even trying to get refineries built and were repeatedly stopped by whatever. Castrating environmental laws for the refiners is nto to allow they to build at all, but to build refineries with much less $$ spent to meet environmental requirements.
Same with the coal-fired electrical generation. Permit they to keep polluting instead of installing scrubbers to keep the heavy metals, CO2, sulfur out of the atmoshphere.
Just build them in Mexico if their having such a problem here.
Dimm-o-craps is creative, but what's your nanny-nanny-boo-boo name for the Republicans who are with them in resisting this Bill?
Just curious.
Look it up yourself, you lazy mother er. New refinery construction has certainly been choked off in this country due to enviromental paranoia.
VIDEO: Dems Chant 'Shame! Shame!' as GOP Bullies House Vote
Vote Held Open Until Republicans Received Margin of Victory, Then Promptly Shut Down!
Republicans House members DeLay, Barton, Hastert and Blunt held the vote open on a controversial energy bill until they were able twist enough arms for the bill to pass.
Although, only 5 minutes are allotted for voting, Republicans refused to close the voting for 40 minutes until enough votes had switched to pass the energy bill which will gut environmental standards in favor of building more oil refineries.
Windows Media format... QuickTime Format
As reported by Reuters:
Just in case your wondering if Delay stepping down as Majority leader actually meant anything to the Republican thugs controlling the house - it doesn't.When over two dozen Republicans initially voted no, DeLay, Barton, House Speaker Dennis Hastert and new Majority Leader Roy Blunt circled the chamber to cajole holdouts.
Republican Wayne Gilchrest of Maryland was the last to switch. With the tally stuck at 211-211, Gilchrest changed his vote, making it 212-210. Barton promptly shook his hand and Republican Mike Simpson, who presided over the vote, gaveled it to an end.
Several Democrats protested that the vote was held open. "I am informed that every member of Congress who is in town has voted," Democratic whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland said at one point, when the tally was 210 yes, 214 no.
House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi also complained, saying the proceedings brought "dishonor to the House."
By the way, this isn't about building new refineries or not building them. Most people agree that we need new refineries. The recent Hurricanes have proven this. What the vote was really about was Republicans subsidizing an industry to increase their capacity to sell their product back to us, while at the same time they are currently making cash hand-over fists out of everyone's pocket. This also involves loosening environmental regulations so they are lowering their costs for building new domestic refineries.
It's gonna have a tough time passing in the Senate, so all this last second House arm-twisting by the Republican thugs may be a colossal waste of time
Is this supposed to be a joke?Show where the refiners were even trying to get refineries built and were repeatedly stopped by whatever.
I think so...
Dimm-o-crap wannabes. Only they call themselves moderate republicans.
You know many dimm-o-craps crossed over to the Republican party when they realized they couldn't get elected as dimm-o-craps.
Repugnacraps also cross over to the Democratic party. happens on both sides.
Dimm-o-craps?
Zebradude , are you old enough to drink?
Well cant rightly say. Some say I am in my second childhood. But nevertheless, I do try at times. You buying?
I'm scared to give booze to someone who comes up with weak smack such as Dimm-o-craps.Well cant rightly say. Some say I am in my second childhood. But nevertheless, I do try at times. You buying?
Weak smack? Never drank that, but no matter. I prefer scotch and water or a Miller lite. Kinda figures. All talk. But if you like I will buy you one. Name your place and drink.
Yeah, the obvious solution to raw materials prices is that we make more factories.
Refineries are expensive because we make companies who want to build new ones actually own up to the REAL costs of refineries.
When we lower environmental standards for toxin-spewing facilities, we rob people of their health, so that the stockholders of a company can make a false profit on that theft.
In the long run the economy needs those people more than it needs the toxin-spewing facility. Ethics aside, it is a simple cost benefit issue.
Evironmentalism is cheaper than the alternative, just as the Chinese.
(google the words "chinese pollution", read a few links, then ask yourself what the drain to their economy is...)
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