Partisan disagreements in the Senate will delay passage of legislation responding to the Gulf oil spill until at least September, when Congress returns from its summer recess.
The House is scheduled to vote on its bill Friday but will be out of town by the time the Senate takes up its version next week - meaning Congress would have to wait to reconcile the differences.
The Senate might not have the 60 votes needed to advance the Democrats' energy and oil spill legislation, anyway. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has criticized it.
On Thursday, Senate Democrats slammed Republicans for opposing their provision eliminating the $75 million cap on economic liability from an oil spill. McConnell pitched an alternative that he said wouldn't put small independent oil producers out of business.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement