House accepts just one Dem amendment to energy bill

Members approved two Republican amendments by voice vote. One, from Rep. Doc Hastings (R-Wash.), made technical changes to the bill. The other, from Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), would require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct an economic impact survey to determine the economic effects that lease sales within 100 miles of the coast of Florida will have on the Florida fishing and tourism industries.

And by recorded vote, the House accepted an amendment from Rep. Jeff Landry (R-La.) to raise the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security act cap to $750 million per year starting in 2023 through 2055. The cap would remain at $500 million through 2022. This amendment was approved 266-159.

{mosads}The rest were from Democrats, and failed in recorded votes. The House was expected to complete work on the eight remaining amendments to the bill, H.R. 3408, on Wednesday.

The bill, titled the Protecting Investment in Oil Shale, the Next Generation of Environmental, Energy and Resource Security (PIONEERS) act, is one piece of a transportation authorization bill that the House will now take up after next week’s break.

Vote results for the other amendments follow:

Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.), to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to review the results of a study that must be conducted before a permit for the Keystone pipeline is issues. Failed 173-249.

Ed Markey (D-Mass.), to ensure that if the Keystone pipeline is built, the oil transported to the Gulf of Mexico must remain in the United States. Failed 173-254.

Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), to prohibit a permit for the Keystone pipeline unless it prevents TransCanada from invoking eminent domain in order to obtain access to the land needed to build the pipeline. Failed 149-276.

Mike Doyle (D-Pa.), to require that a Keystone permit cannot be issued unless the applicant can show 75 percent of the iron and steel to be used in the pipeline is made in North America. Failed 193-234.

Jared Polis (D-Colo.), to strike language related to oil shale leases. Failed 160-265.

Lois Capps (D-Calif.), to strike language relating to oil and gas lease sales in Southern California. Failed 160-267.

Tim Bishop (D-NY), to prohibit oil and natural gas lease sales in the northeast United States. Failed 169-257.

Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), to require companies to include, along with their drilling lease application, an economic impact statement of the worst-case oil spill scenario. Failed 188-236.