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Opponents Block Energy Bill in Senate

Posted on: Friday, 21 November 2003, 06:00 CST

Opponents of a massive energy bill on Friday blocked the Senate from taking a final vote and sending the measure to President Bush.

On a 57-40 vote, supporters of the bill failed by three votes to cut off debate on the legislation. They needed 60 votes under the Senate's rules to close debate on the bill, which supporters said would increase and diversify energy production and provide farmers an economic boost by expanding use of corn-based ethanol.

The House passed the legislation earlier this week.

"This will not be the last vote on this bill," said Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn. "We're going to keep voting until we pass it and get it to the president."

Opponents of the bill waged a frantic campaign to garner enough votes to derail the legislation, arguing the $31 billion bill - crafted largely in closed-door Republican negotiations with the House - was too expensive and amounted to a collection of subsidies to special interests.

Six Republicans joined Democrats in opposing the bill.

Frist, who was obligated to change his vote and cast it with the majority so the measure can be brought up again, vowed not to abandon the legislation. But he could not say when it would be back for another try.

Democratic leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota, who voted for ending debate, called the defeat "unfortunate." He said Senate energy negotiators "were undercut by manipulation by the House Republican leadership" that pressed for measures in the bill that many senators could not accept.

Approval of an energy bill has been a top priority for President Bush, who repeatedly called on Congress to finish the legislation this year.

As opponents to the bill appeared to gain strength, Vice President Dick Cheney began calling GOP senators urging them not to abandon the president on the issue. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham, a former senator from Michigan, was dispatched to Capitol Hill in the hours before the voting.

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