Drilling Environmentalists

WASHINGTON — The Senate voted Tuesday to open 8.3 million acres of federal waters in the central Gulf of Mexico to oil and gas drilling, setting up a confrontation with the House which wants even more drilling in waters now off-limits.

Supporters said the measure would be a major step toward producing more domestic energy and forcing down natural gas prices that have soared in recent years.
The Senate approved the measure by a vote of 71-25. It now must be reconciled with much broader drilling legislation passed by the House in June. Those negotiations are likely to begin in September.

SENATOR EVAN BAYH of Indiana continued his prissy dance to the Left by voting against the bill, placing himself to the Left of Hillary Clinton who supported it.