Energy Bill set for House vote next week

WASHINGTON, April 14 (UPI) -- The Bush administration's comprehensive Energy Bill was headed to the House floor Thursday after being passed overnight by three committees.

President Bush has repeatedly referred to the bill as a means of addressing high prices and a myriad of other energy issues even though the bill stalled in the Senate during the last session of Congress.

The final vote in the House is expected next week. If the bill passes, it will move on to its uncertain fate in the Senate.

The plan's controversial provisions for opening part of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil exploration made it through the Resources Committee Wednesday night while the Ways and Means Committee approved about $8 billion in tax incentives for the energy industry.

American Petroleum Institute President Red Cavaney said in a statement Thursday the industry was pleased with a retooled provision granting refiners a degree of liability protection for water contamination caused by the gasoline additive MTBE.

MTBE liability was a major reason the Energy Bill foundered in the Senate last year.