House ignores veto threat, passes energy bill

The House Thursday passed sweeping legislation that would raise fuel economy standards, seek to boost the use of alternative energy and impose new taxes on large energy corporations.

{mosads}The bill passed 235-181 with seven Democrats opposing the bill, 14 Republican supporting it and 16 members not voting.

Democrats hailed the passage as a major stepping-stone toward energy independence but their victory will likely be short-lived. The White House announced Thursday that President Bush would veto the legislation.

“We believe that reducing our dependence on foreign oil and increasing energy security is an area where both parties should be able to find common ground,” White House spokeswoman Dana Perino stated. “Unfortunately, Democratic leaders in the House today pushed a partisan bill, that members had very little opportunity to study before the vote, which they knew was unacceptable to the president and had no chance being signed into law. Their proposal would raise taxes and increase energy prices for Americans. That is a misguided approach and if it made it to the president’s desk, he would veto it.”

However, some of the bill’s provisions might be watered down as it makes its way through the Senate, where Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has said he would like to vote on the measure before the end of the year.