Senate Backs Expanded Offshore Drilling

In this undated photo released by Mexico's National Oil Company, PEMEX on June 13, 2006, a boat nears an offshore oil rig in the gulf of Mexico near the coast of Campeche, Mexico. Monday, the Senate is expected to vote whether to expand oil and gas development in the central Gulf, opening for drilling 8.3 million acres now off limits. Last month, the House approved an even broader measure that would lift the quarter-century drilling moratorium in Pacific and Atlantic coastal waters, although states would be able to prohibit drilling if they choose to do so. (AP Photo/PEMEX, FILE) (AP)

WASHINGTON -- The Senate wants to expand oil and gas drilling to a large chunk of the Gulf of Mexico that has been off limits to energy companies.

But the House has a more ambitious plan: Open coastal waters to drilling everywhere unless a state objects.

Opening the Outer Continental Shelf to oil and gas rigs has moved to the center of the energy debate in Congress where lawmakers for months have struggled to respond to growing anger among voters over high energy prices _ a particular problem in an election year.

By a vote of 71-25 Tuesday, the Senate passed a bill directing the Interior Department to begin selling leases for oil and gas development in 8.3 million acres of the east-central Gulf of Mexico _ about 100 miles from the nearest land and 125 to 310 miles from Florida beaches.

Moving toward a monthlong summer recess, the Senate still faces a rush of business including approval of a $444.6 billion Pentagon funding bill that also has an additional $50 billion for the Iraq war.

GOP leaders also hoped to vote Friday on a bill that would both raise the minimum wage and make permanent a cut in the estate tax while extending a variety of popular tax breaks such as deductions for college tuition. Democrats are trying to block the tax-wage bill, arguing the two issues should not be combined.

A debate on legislation to deal with an overhaul of federal pension law, passed by the House before it adjourned last week, could take senators into the weekend.

Many Senate Republicans called Tuesday's vote a breakthrough that could lead to opening more ocean waters that have been under a drilling moratorium for 25 years. The House passed legislation in June that would end the moratorium everywhere and allow development 50 miles off any state unless it formally objects.

But that fight is for another day, Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., told reporters Tuesday.

Any bill that goes beyond the 8.3 million acres would run into a filibuster in the Senate, requiring 60 votes to overcome, he said. "It's a monster that you have to jump" and the votes aren't there.

Domenici will lead Senate negotiators in a conference with the House on offshore drilling in September so his remarks to reporters sent a message to the House leadership: Go beyond what the Senate passed and Tuesday's "great victory will be turned back into nothing."

Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Calif., a principal sponsor of the House-passed bill, left open the possibility of compromise. He said both chambers agree more offshore oil and gas development is needed "to provide relief for consumers."