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A controversial bill that offered abandoned U.S. military bases to private industry
for the construction of oil refineries and granted federal insurance to refiners
ensnared in litigation passed by a razor-thin margin in the House Friday afternoon
212-210 as Democrats chanted "shame, shame, shame."
The vote, which was supposed to take five minutes, lasted 45. About
a dozen Republicans reversed their votes as the Republican leadership circled
the chamber pressuring members of their party to ensure the bill's passage.
Excerpts from Reuters:
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.
Eventually, enough Republicans switched to pass the bill.
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."
"The fact that the Republicans are handmaidens of the special interests
is nothing new," she quipped. "The fact that they would shamelessly
display their servitude should come as no surprise. But today's extortion is
an especially shameful display - a sad day for democracy. The people spoke and
the vote was clearly against this bill."
Democrats in the chamber chanted "shame, shame, shame" as the final
tally was announced.
Bush lauded the bill: "No refineries have been built in our Nation since
1976, and the recent disruptions in supply from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
have demonstrated that additional refining capacity is critically needed,"
Bush said in a statement.
Other provisions in the bill include:
Expanding Northeast Heating Oil Reserve to 5 million barrels, from
current 2 million barrels;
Limiting anti-pollution gasoline blends to six, from the current
17;
Requiring FTC to prepare a report on the price of gasoline and
heating oil on the New York Mercantile Exchange;
Waives federal, state and local fuel additive requirements after
a natural disaster that disrupts supplies;
Gives Federal Energy Regulatory Commission the power to monitor
offshore gas gathering lines to prevent anti-competitive practices.