Republicans call the Democratic plan a political sham. The measure's fate is unclear in the Senate.
By CARL HULSE, New York Times
WASHINGTON - The House on Tuesday night approved a bill 236-189 that would ease a longstanding ban on offshore oil drilling and try to spur greater use of alternative fuels as Democrats and Republicans engaged in a bitter clash over America's energy future.
Under legislation assembled by Democrats after weeks of assaults by Republicans over offshore exploration, oil companies would lose some tax benefits, utilities would be required to produce 15 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2020 and a ban on developing fuel from Rocky Mountain shale would be lifted.
The legislation, which faces significant hurdles to becoming law before Congress breaks at the end of the month, would allow drilling as close as 50 miles from the coastline where adjacent states agree and 100 miles out no matter a state's position.
It also would impose stricter oversight on the federal agency that handles oil leasing and royalty payments after recent disclosures of improper relationships between its employees and oil industry representatives.
Republicans, who have recorded some political gains by portraying Democrats as flatly opposed to new oil drilling, said the measure was a sham intended to provide Democrats political cover from voters furious over high gas prices. They faulted it for failing to include new incentives for coal and nuclear power and for not limiting environmental lawsuits against drilling proposals. They also criticized Democrats for not negotiating with Republicans in writing the bill.
"We are engaged in exactly what the American people are sick of, and that is political games here in Washington that are intended to be political games and have no outcome," said Rep. John Boehner of Ohio, the Republican leader.
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