red states rule
Senior Member
- May 30, 2006
- 16,011
- 573
- 48
Oh my, after the kook left worked their butts off to elect Dems, now those same Dems will not go after Big Oil!!!!
Speaker Elect Pelosi promised that certain things are going to happen in the first 100 hours of her reign. Like Big Oil getting whacked -- hard. All those tax breaks Republicans gave to Bush's oil buddies are going to be history!
New energy leader unsure on oil tax cuts
By JENNIFER TALHELM Associated Press Writer
© 2006 The Associated Press
WASHINGTON House Speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi's plan to repeal tax breaks for oil companies in the first 100 hours of the new Congress could face roadblocks in the Senate.
Trying to do it in the first couple of weeks would be rushing things, Sen. Jeff Bingaman, the upcoming chairman of the Senate's Energy and Natural Resources Committee, told The Associated Press in an interview Friday.
Bingaman, D-N.M., who has been the committee's ranking Democrat and will become its chairman under a Democratic majority, expressed reservations about rolling back tax breaks enacted as part of the 2005 energy act that are aimed at encouraging domestic oil and gas production. He said hearings should be held before any such incentives are killed.
"The truth is these companies are able to drill wherever they see the best opportunity for their stockholders," he said. "If the tax incentives are changed in ways that cause them to go overseas to drill, I don't know that that's to our advantage. We need to have some hearings and look into it."
Pelosi spokesman Brendan Daly said the 100 hours timeframe applies to the House only. Pelosi would work with senators on any concerns, he said.
Bingaman said some of the Democrats' other ambitious plans also could face a high hurdle in the Senate because of the narrow 51-49 majority.
For example, California Sen. Barbara Boxer, who will take over the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, promised a "sea change" in Congress' approach to global warming, using California's approach _ including a cap on greenhouse gas emissions _ as a model.
But Bingaman questioned whether Democrats can get any of those plans done without Republican support, meaning Democrats may have to compromise or face backlash from Republicans.
"We're not going to pass anything over the objection of the president, so we have to find something that not only can get a majority of senators and a majority of House members to support it, but that also can get the president's signature," he said. "That's a tall order, and we just need to get into the debate to see."
Bingaman is seeking a Republican co-sponsor on his own bill to control greenhouse gases and hopes to tackle energy efficiency and promote renewables. He said he thinks the U.S. should have a market-controlled system for controlling pollution, similar to what is done in Europe.
He argued that doing something is better than stalling again.
While the GOP-controlled Congress has focused on incentives for oil, gas and nuclear energy, look for Bingaman to use the committee to encourage wind, solar and other renewable energy sources.
Bingaman also hopes to push some kind of legislation to encourage the auto industry to make more fuel efficient vehicles, although he anticipates little success in approving stiffer auto fuel economy regulations. One idea would create a government-imposed rebate for buyers who choose fuel-efficient cars, which would be paid for by a fee on gas guzzlers, he said.
Increasing the federal auto fuel economy standard is "very objectionable to this administration and to many people" in the Congress, he said, "so we need to see if there is another way we could move the industry toward use of technology to produce more fuel efficient vehicles."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/politics/4389395.html
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Speaker Elect Pelosi promised that certain things are going to happen in the first 100 hours of her reign. Like Big Oil getting whacked -- hard. All those tax breaks Republicans gave to Bush's oil buddies are going to be history!
New energy leader unsure on oil tax cuts
By JENNIFER TALHELM Associated Press Writer
© 2006 The Associated Press
WASHINGTON House Speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi's plan to repeal tax breaks for oil companies in the first 100 hours of the new Congress could face roadblocks in the Senate.
Trying to do it in the first couple of weeks would be rushing things, Sen. Jeff Bingaman, the upcoming chairman of the Senate's Energy and Natural Resources Committee, told The Associated Press in an interview Friday.
Bingaman, D-N.M., who has been the committee's ranking Democrat and will become its chairman under a Democratic majority, expressed reservations about rolling back tax breaks enacted as part of the 2005 energy act that are aimed at encouraging domestic oil and gas production. He said hearings should be held before any such incentives are killed.
"The truth is these companies are able to drill wherever they see the best opportunity for their stockholders," he said. "If the tax incentives are changed in ways that cause them to go overseas to drill, I don't know that that's to our advantage. We need to have some hearings and look into it."
Pelosi spokesman Brendan Daly said the 100 hours timeframe applies to the House only. Pelosi would work with senators on any concerns, he said.
Bingaman said some of the Democrats' other ambitious plans also could face a high hurdle in the Senate because of the narrow 51-49 majority.
For example, California Sen. Barbara Boxer, who will take over the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, promised a "sea change" in Congress' approach to global warming, using California's approach _ including a cap on greenhouse gas emissions _ as a model.
But Bingaman questioned whether Democrats can get any of those plans done without Republican support, meaning Democrats may have to compromise or face backlash from Republicans.
"We're not going to pass anything over the objection of the president, so we have to find something that not only can get a majority of senators and a majority of House members to support it, but that also can get the president's signature," he said. "That's a tall order, and we just need to get into the debate to see."
Bingaman is seeking a Republican co-sponsor on his own bill to control greenhouse gases and hopes to tackle energy efficiency and promote renewables. He said he thinks the U.S. should have a market-controlled system for controlling pollution, similar to what is done in Europe.
He argued that doing something is better than stalling again.
While the GOP-controlled Congress has focused on incentives for oil, gas and nuclear energy, look for Bingaman to use the committee to encourage wind, solar and other renewable energy sources.
Bingaman also hopes to push some kind of legislation to encourage the auto industry to make more fuel efficient vehicles, although he anticipates little success in approving stiffer auto fuel economy regulations. One idea would create a government-imposed rebate for buyers who choose fuel-efficient cars, which would be paid for by a fee on gas guzzlers, he said.
Increasing the federal auto fuel economy standard is "very objectionable to this administration and to many people" in the Congress, he said, "so we need to see if there is another way we could move the industry toward use of technology to produce more fuel efficient vehicles."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/politics/4389395.html
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