Hill Republicans to push energy strategy

WASHINGTON, Jun 04, 2004 (United Press International via COMTEX)

House GOP leaders looking to take advantage of voter concern on high gas prices plan to push stalled energy legislation next week.

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, is behind the plan aimed at highlighting the fact that Congress has yet to approve a comprehensive energy package developed by the body last year.

Although the bill has already been approved in the House, DeLay and other Republicans are looking to spur action in the Senate where GOP leaders are two votes shy of gaining approval of the bill because of opposition from Senate Democrats and some GOP lawmakers.

They are particularly hopeful that the move will pressure Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., and Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts into switching their votes away from opposing the bill in its current form.

The vote is part of a broader offensive on energy issues DeLay has coordinated with House Republican leaders, key staff and Interior Secretary Gale Norton.

But the strategy to bring energy bills to the House floor is mostly symbolic, as most of the measures have little chance of gaining Senate approval.

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Copyright 2004 by United Press International.