House Democrats finish '100 hours' agenda by passing oil revenue bill

[zimv20]

cnn (http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/politicalticker/2007/01/house-democrats-finish-100-hours.html)


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- House Democrats brought their "100-hour" legislative agenda to a successful close Thursday evening with passage of legislation designed to force oil and gas companies to pay more royalties on some offshore leases and end subsidies and tax deductions they have been receiving amid record prices for crude.

The final vote on the bill -- the sixth of six items Democrats had vowed to pass in 100 hours of legislative action -- was 264 to 163, with 36 Republicans crossing the aisle to support the Democrat-sponsored bill.

The House finished work on all six measures in about 42 hours of floor time, less than half the limit set on their self-imposed clock. However, the legislation must still navigate the Senate, which tends to operate at a more leisurely pace, and could also face President Bush's veto pen.


what else did the house pass during those 42 hours?
- Implementing 9/11 Commission's Recommendations (http://www.speaker.gov/legislation?id=0004)
- Raising the Minimum Wage (http://www.speaker.gov/legislation?id=0005)
- Promoting Life-Saving Stem Cell Research (http://www.speaker.gov/legislation?id=0006)
- Requiring Medicare to Negotiate Lower Prescription Drug Prices (http://www.speaker.gov/legislation?id=0007)
- Cutting Interest Rates on Student Loans (http://www.speaker.gov/legislation?id=0008)

summary here (http://www.speaker.gov/legislation?id=0003), where it can be seen there was some strong bipartisanship on these bills.

yeah, i had no idea the democrats hated america so much. :rolleyes:

[mactastic]

Hey look - a Do Something Congress. What a change from the previous Congress!

And predictably we're hearing the right -- those who brought us anti-flag-burning amendments and anti-gay-marriage votes, not to mention votes on war weeks before an election -- accuse the Democrats of political posturing by holding votes on things like the minimum wage and stem cell research.

The stench of hypocrisy gets worse every day from these guys.

[Thomas Veil]

The Democratic House got more positive work done in 42 hours than the Republicans did in years.

Good for the Dems...absolutely pathetic and shameful for the Republicans.

[leekohler]

OMG! I can't believe it! A government actually doing more than issuing blank checks to Bush? Umm- look out the window, there are pigs in the sky. :)

[Sdashiki]

please drop my student loan
r
a
t
e
s

oh wait they finally did.

from the current 6.8 percent to 3.4 percent.

only takes place in July. As always.

[Swarmlord]

Wish I could be a fly on the wall when Senator Byrd realizes that his usual earmmarks aren't going to make it through the House this time - maybe.

I'll be impressed when and if the Budget is smaller than the one for this year in same year dollars.

[leekohler]

Wish I could be a fly on the wall when Senator Byrd realizes that his usual earmmarks aren't going to make it through the House this time - maybe.

I'll be impressed when and if the Budget is smaller than the one for this year in same year dollars.

Seriously, could it get more bloated? And let's not forget who drove it up, Bush and borrow-and-spend Republicans.

[Sdashiki]

Seriously, could it get more bloated? And let's not forget who drove it up, Bush and borrow-and-spend Republicans.

If you truly believed the world was going to end before it mattered, it makes sense.

:cool:

[leekohler]

If you truly believed the world was going to end before it mattered, it makes sense.

:cool:

That's true- I guess when you have Armageddon hanging over your head, the credit card gets maxed! :)

[zimv20]

If you truly believed the world was going to end before it mattered, it makes sense.

coincidentally, i was reading this (http://www.alternet.org/story/46908/) when you made your post.

[Desertrat]

"...legislation designed to force oil and gas companies to pay more royalties on some offshore leases..."

The problem is that it's an abrogation of existing, signed contracts. Further, the area of concern is in international waters, where it easily could be held that there is no jurisdiction. E.g., the Chevron Jack #6 is in 7,000 feet of water, which is well outside of any 3-mile or 3-league limit; the oil will be tankered from the rig, not pipelined across federal and/or state subsurface land.

The long-term effect will be a lessening of exploration/development around the US and thus more dependence on foreign oil.

I note that the EIA expects the mix of fuels for all purposes to remain pretty-much unchanged over the next thirty years. That is, even with the rapid increases of wind and solar power, the percentages of the overall power/transportation sources will remain roughly constant.

'Rat

[Dont Hurt Me]

A congress who is working for the people like they are suppose to? Amazing, after years of only doing the Corporation business its just Amazing. We the people of the United States in order to.....

[princealfie]

What about ridding the oil companies completely? :mad:

[Desertrat]

Fine, princealfie, but no more computers, telephones or bicycles. No Internet. The Pony Express can bring you seeds for your garden.

'Rat

[Thomas Veil]

...or you could take the Chavez route -- nationalize 'em. ;)

[solvs]

Wish I could be a fly on the wall when Senator Byrd realizes that his usual earmmarks aren't going to make it through the House this time

Isn't he one of the people who voted for the reform?

[Desertrat]

Yeah, Chavez did the nationalization thing in the usual "theft by government" manner. Production has dropped from 3.3 million bbl/day to 2.8. And the refineries, all nicely nationalized, can't meet the demands: Crude is refined in Corpus Christi, and the gasoline shipped back to Venezuela.

Next suggestion?

'Rat

[mactastic]

Next suggestion?

'Rat
Stop being such asshats that other nations look to ally themselves with Chavez, creating a strong anti-US bloc of nations?

[solvs]

Stop being such asshats that other nations look to ally themselves with Chavez, creating a strong anti-US bloc of nations?

The enemy of my enemy is crazy, but he's got oil, so we'll put up with him?

[Thomas Veil]

Yeah, Chavez did the nationalization thing in the usual "theft by government" manner. Production has dropped from 3.3 million bbl/day to 2.8. And the refineries, all nicely nationalized, can't meet the demands: Crude is refined in Corpus Christi, and the gasoline shipped back to Venezuela.

Next suggestion?

'RatYou do know I was being facetious, right? Though I like your phrase "theft by government", which pretty well describes what is going on down there.

[takao]

Further, the area of concern is in international waters, where it easily could be held that there is no jurisdiction. E.g., the Chevron Jack #6 is in 7,000 feet of water, which is well outside of any 3-mile or 3-league limit; the oil will be tankered from the rig, not pipelined across federal and/or state subsurface land.

i don't know where the chevron jack n#6 is located but isn't it inside of the 200 mile limit ?

[Desertrat]

Yeah, probably within 200 miles, but that's still supposed to be "International Waters". But, mea culpa, I tend to forget that when money's involved, such things as freedom of the seas isn't worth bothering with. :)

I was reading today about the amount of investment capital that's needed to keep up with exploration/development needs. The offshore rigs are all getting older and out of date; there's a serious shortage developing (It already exists, but the demand is now increasing.) It's all well and good to holler about "obscene profits", but those profits are a source for new rigs. The Jack #6 cost right at $1 billion. Many more are needed.

Yeah, the profits are big. I made some assumptions for the Jack #6; FOB the platform and guessing at a 12-year life, the cost will be at a minimum $7/bbl. I could be off for some cost-aspects; even double is $14, which leaves money for more exploration/development.

Mom'n'pop ain't gonna be in the offshore awl bidness.

mac, to a great extent I agree with your, "Stop being such asshats that other nations look to ally themselves with Chavez, creating a strong anti-US bloc of nations?" However, Chavez got to be how he is with little cause from the U.S. foreign policy.

'Rat

[takao]

Yeah, probably within 200 miles, but that's still supposed to be "International Waters". But, mea culpa, I tend to forget that when money's involved, such things as freedom of the seas isn't worth bothering with. :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_waters

[skunk]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_watersThanks, Takao. A few facts never go amiss.

[Desertrat]

Thanx. Funny how all that came about, these last couple of hundred years. It started as the "three mile limit", the maximum range of the old cannon. But cannons improved, so then it was a twelve-mile limit.

Then the economic thing got involved. Control of what other countries' people did in the way-offshore.

Two unending things about government: Extend power over people, and an insatiable appetite for money.

'Rat

[pseudobrit]

Two unending things about government: Extend power over people, and an insatiable appetite for money.

Money is power. It's all down to power. And it's not just government that wants to extend power over others; that's the indecent side of human nature.

[mactastic]

mac, to a great extent I agree with your, "Stop being such asshats that other nations look to ally themselves with Chavez, creating a strong anti-US bloc of nations?" However, Chavez got to be how he is with little cause from the U.S. foreign policy.

'Rat
Sure, but we've enabled him to become what he is by mishandling everything involving him.

He got to be HOW he is all on his own. He got to be the thorn in our side that he is in no small part due to the US mishandling everything about the relationship. A guy who you try to have put out of office by force isn't likely to be nice to you anymore.

[skunk]

Sure, but we've enabled him to become what he is by mishandling everything involving him.

He got to be HOW he is all on his own. He got to be the thorn in our side that he is in no small part due to the US mishandling everything about the relationship. A guy who you try to have put out of office by force isn't likely to be nice to you anymore.There's only one thing more dangerous than a dead martyr, and that's a living one.