GOP tries to rework, revive broad energy bill

WASHINGTON -- Senate opponents blocked Congress from finishing its energy bill Friday, dealing a severe setback to President Bush's proposal to redirect the nation's energy agenda toward more production of oil, gas, coal and corn-based ethanol.

Critics of the bill, both Democrats and Republicans, said it would provide too many favors to industry and hinder cleanup of water fouled by a gasoline additive.

The bill includes hundreds of provisions for energy and related industries including $23.5 billion in tax breaks and a proposal to double ethanol use, an economic boon to farmers.

Republican leaders fell two votes short cutting off debate blocking the bill and were forced to scramble in search of changes that might keep the measure alive. "This will not be the last vote on this bill," promised Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn. "We're going to keep voting until we pass it and get it to the president."

But after the bill breezed through the House earlier this week, it lost momentum in the Senate as a growing number of senators said it was bloated with special favors, was too expensive and threatened environmental protection.

The bill's proponents needed 60 senators to cut off debate and proceed to a final vote. They mustered support from 58, including 13 Democrats, as regional and philosophical interests overcame partisan ones among many of the lawmakers. Later, Frist changed his vote to "no" so that, under Senate rules, he could call up the bill for another vote later.

While a broad, bipartisan group of senators, mostly from the Farm Belt, were attracted to the bill because it would require a doubling of corn-based ethanol, just as many had reservations due to provisions added in the process .