Senate Republicans Agree to Slash Stalled Energy Bill

[salin]

Senate Republicans Agree to Slash Stalled Energy Bill

By Dan Morgan
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, February 11, 2004; Page A07


Senate Republicans, hoping to salvage a stalled energy bill, said yesterday that they plan to more than halve the measure's tax breaks and other business incentives, cutting them from $31 billion to less than $14 billion over 10 years.

But at a luncheon meeting of GOP senators, members balked at attaching the energy legislation to a pending transportation bill, which faces its own objections from key Republicans and the White House.

The upshot was that two major pieces of economic legislation before this Congress remained tied up in procedural and substantive disagreements involving mainly Republicans. "It's been a frustrating week and a half," said Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.).

More:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A30474-2004Feb10.html

Very interesting read - shows strategies used (what they trimmed), and the struggle they are still having with this giveaway... er... bill.

[dusty64]

1. Like an evil

vampire, I see this thing is rising again from the dead. WTF, ya gotta hand it to the extreme right, they NEVER give up. I think the Democrats could learn a thing or to from them about being an actual opposition force.

[salin]

2. Significant story. Bush made a case in SOTU to PUSH this through

and yet it keeps being stymied. They focused on the highway bill because there is so much pork (gifts in home districts) and it is so expensive anyway, that it wouldn't be noticed and would sail right through. But that now appears not to be the case.

Follow the bouncing ball - I think it is indicative of some of the future political/congressional battles.

Note also that a big DeLay crony, Rep. Joe Barton, is slated to take over chairmanship of the energy committee in the house. Any problems on that side of the congress are problematic for DeLay who has exerted lock-step obedience through extraordinary measures. Will they find the way to get this through - or has the overreach and public reactions in home districts (and sudden concerns for reelection) started to balance out the hammer's power? Stay tuned...

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

3. I am sure with any crisis they will be at it again

Problem is they are being distracted from it now.