House Republicans are trying to move forward with a bill that would allow private activity bonds to be used to finance domestic oil refineries in an effort to help combat rising fuel costs, but they may find little support from Democrats, most of whom oppose any new drilling for oil on U.S. soil.
The "No More Excuses Energy Act of 2007," which was introduced last July by Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Tex., has been pending before three committees. But Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., on Tuesday filed a "discharge petition" that would allow the bill to bypass the committees and move directly to the full House. The petition would require 218 signatures, but since Tuesday, Walberg had gathered only 139 signatures.
"We expect that it won't be difficult to get all or most of the Republicans," said George Rasley, Thornberry's communications director. "It remains to be seen whether Democrats from [oil] producing states will step up."
"There is a growing momentum in this Congress to increase American energy production," Walberg said in a release. "I am pleased that so many of my colleagues have joined me in this effort to fight high gas prices. I will continue to invite all of my colleagues to sign the petition. We need Democrats and Republicans in this effort, and we need bipartisan solutions to our energy crisis."
The legislation had been referred to the Natural Resources, Ways and Means, and Energy and Commerce committees, but Walberg's attempt to move it to the full House appears designed to avoid lengthy debates that each committee would likely have before voting on it.
Besides allowing the issuance of an unspecified amount of tax-exempt debt, the bill would also extend through 2018 the tax credit for producing electricity from wind facilities, and allow tax credits for the production of electricity from nuclear energy, natural gas production, and the carbon dioxide tertiary injection process. In addition, it would require the president to designate at least 10 sites for oil or natural gas refineries on federal lands and make such sites available to the private sector for refinery construction.
But Democrats have long opposed increased domestic drilling for oil and the bill may not obtain enough support to be put before the full House, let alone gather enough votes for passage.
The Natural Resources Committee's Democratic majority staff issued a report recently that said drilling new oil refineries would not lower gas prices and that there is still land available for refineries that have yet to be tapped.
House minority leader Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, supports the bill and called on Democrats earlier this week to back it to "bring down soaring prices at the pump."
Matt Lahr, Walberg's press secretary, said he does not know if there is a time limit to gather the required signatures, but that the 139 is a "good start" and that Walberg and other Republicans will continue to argue for the bill's consideration.
