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US House passes bill to encourage new refineries

The US House of Representatives, by a two-vote margin, is sending the Senate legislation to encourage oil companies to open new refineries.

Approval came on Friday only after leaders of the Republican majority extended the vote by 40 minutes to buttonhole colleagues, prompting calls of "Shame, Shame" from Democrats.

The bill, passed 212-210, would streamline government permits for refineries and open federal lands including closed military bases for future refinery construction.

The bill would also limit the number of gasoline blends refiners must produce, eliminating many blends now designed to reduce air pollution.

But Democrats, joined by some GOP moderates, called the bill a sop to rich oil companies that would do nothing to ease energy costs that include heating bills expected to soar this winter.

US President George W. Bush welcomed the outcome.

"I commend the House for passing legislation that would increase our refining capacity and help address the cost of gasoline, diesel fuels and jet fuels," he said in a statement.

It looked as if the bill was headed to defeat, two votes shy of approval. Democrats called in vain for gaveling the vote closed as Republican leaders lobbied their members to switch votes and support the bill.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert, an Illinois Republican, "worked me over a little," said Representative Bill Young, a Florida Republican, among the last group of lawmakers to switch to support the legislation.

Representative Tom DeLay, a Texas Republican, who recently stepped down temporarily as majority leader after being indicted in Texas over a campaign finance issue, was as active as ever, putting pressure on wavering lawmakers in the crowded, noisy House chamber.

Finally, long after the vote had been scheduled to close, two Republican members switched, providing the victory. A tie would have killed the bill.
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