Democrats Giving Up On Drilling Ban Completely?
If they do it’ll be a huge victory for Republicans, though one likely to be overshadowed by the financial mess that’s in the headlines.
House Democrats will allow a quarter-century ban on drilling for oil off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts to expire next week.
Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey is telling reporters that language continuing the moratorium will be omitted this year from a spending bill to keep the government in operating funds after Congress recesses for the election.
Remember that in order for the drilling ban to end Congress needs to do exactly nothing. So by postponing the moratorium Democrats - who will be unlikely to have the political capital to invest into stating a new ban when Congress resumes - are effectively killing it.
Which comes as a bit of a silver lining in a week full of bad news.
