Washington Digest: House votes to speed offshore oil drilling

WASHINGTON -- The House voted last week to speed oil drilling leases in the Gulf of Mexico and off the coast of Virginia, in a gesture to motorists frustrated by rising gasoline prices.

Lawmakers voted 266-149 for the Republican-authored bill, which also drew support from 33 Democrats. It would set deadlines for auctions of four leases that had been delayed or canceled in the wake of the BP oil spill.

Supporters said the bill was a step toward relieving gasoline prices by increasing U.S. oil production, although Democratic critics challenged whether it would do much to bring down current prices.

Democrats also argued that the relatively quick auction deadlines in the bill would undercut safety reviews put in place following last year's oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.

Reps. Dean Heller and Joe Heck, both R-Nev., voted for the bill. Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., voted against it.

Before passage, Democrats forced a vote on their preferred strategy, to repeal billions of dollars in tax credits from the top five oil companies.

Democrats argued the companies should not enjoy federal support when high gasoline prices are creating record profits.

The effort was defeated in a procedural vote, 241-171.

Berkley voted for the Democratic motion. Heller and Heck voted against it.

Abortion restriction passed

Continuing to put their stamp on legislation, Republicans won passage of a bill they said would strengthen the ban on federal funding for abortions.

The bill that passed 251-175 would write into law several anti-abortion policies, including the so-called Hyde amendment that has been attached as a rider to appropriations bills for more than 30 years. It prohibits federal funding for abortions except in limited cases involving rape, incest or to save the life of the mother.

The new bill also would prohibit taxpayers from deducting the cost of abortions as medical expenses on their taxes.

The bill "will ensure that American taxpayers are not forced to fund what many consider the destruction of innocent human life through abortion on demand," said Rep. Rich Nugent, R-Fla.

In reply, Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y., said it would "upend the principle of equal rights ... by placing severe restrictions on the constitutionally protected right to an abortion."

Heller and Heck voted for the abortion restrictions. Berkley voted against them.

GOP chips away at health care law

The House voted 235-191 for a Republican bill that would block federal funding to build or renovate school health centers, a provision in the 2010 health care overhaul.

The health bill provided $50 million a year for the construction projects. But Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, questioned the spending, noting there was an "expressed prohibition" on using funds for health services themselves.

"Providing mandatory spending to construct facilities without adequate safeguards that they will provide care is irresponsible," he said.

Democrats argued the bill was a thinly disguised GOP attempt to repeal the health care law piece by piece. They said to obtain grants, school districts have to show they have money to operate the clinics.

Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn., defended the spending, saying of school health centers that "there is no more efficient delivery system."

"It makes sure that kids get good, high-quality care at school, gets them back on their feet, back in class where they belong, rather than going to emergency rooms and spending hours waiting for care."

Berkley and Heck voted to continue the funding while Heller voted to block it.

In another GOP slap at the health law, the House voted 238-183 to repeal spending to help states establish health benefit exchanges under the law.

Republicans said the health law provided the Health and Human Services secretary with unlimited funds for the grants, and that the money should not be spent until courts rule whether the law is constitutional.

Democrats argued that defunding the grants simply means that states won't be able to set up insurance programs under the law, and the federal government will have to step in.

"The exchanges won't go away with this legislation," said Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J.

Berkley voted to continue the funding while Heller and Heck voted to block it.

Neither of the health-related bills was expected to be taken up in the Democrat-controlled Senate.

Contact Stephens Washington Bureau Chief Steve Tetreault at stetreault@stephensmedia.com or 202-783-1760.