Senate approves more offshore drilling

[cal04]

Resistance expected in House, which backs even more exploration of Gulf
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.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14140436/

[louis-t]

1. Does anyone think for one minute that this will lower

the price of gas?

[spanone]

2. Fuck, I thought the senate would stop this.

Don't you love it, the House may oppose the bill because they want MORE acreage for drilling.

[HockeyMom]

3. What happens with a hurricane?

I just recently read (sorry don't have link) that more storms are being predicted for the Gulf than for the Atlantic Seaboard in future years.