The U.S. Senate ended debate on an offshore drilling bill yesterday. The bill would open up a vast area of the Gulf of Mexico to new drilling leases. Democratic California Senators Barbara Boxer and Diane Feinstein say passage of the bill could lead to drilling off the coast of California. From Capitol Hill, Terry Gildea reports.
The House passed a bill last month that would open up the entire U.S. coastline to drilling. But the Senate only wants expand drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. If the Senate bill passes, the two chambers must work out differences between the two bills. Feinstein says the House could reject the Senate bill and push for drilling off California's coast.
Boxer is convinced the Senate bill will take money away from the federal government by allowing states to keep some of the money from new drilling leases. Boxer says regulating gasoline mileage standards is the best short term solution for rising energy costs. The final vote in the Senate is expected this week
From Capitol Hill, Terry Gildea, KPBS News.
