"Nelson Pledges to Filibuster Climate Bill With Drilling"

"Anti-drilling Democrats pledged on Tuesday to block any climate and energy bill that would pave the way for new oil and gas drilling off the coasts of the United States, stepping up the heat on what was already a contentious issue in the Senate debate.

'Any proposal for offshore drilling is dead on arrival,' said Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat and one of the most vocal opponents of plans to expand drilling. 'If offshore drilling is a part of it, this legislation is not going anywhere.'

'If I have to do a filibuster ... I will do so,' said Nelson.

Nelson joined New Jersey Democrats Robert Menendez and Frank Lautenberg in a press conference on Tuesday calling for a halt to plans to expand drilling as proposed by the Obama administration, and also exploration of new regions for oil and gas development. They also called for the Senate climate and energy bill, which remains on hold amid political wrangling, to stop an expansion of drilling. What that bill may do to expand or incentivize more drilling is one of the more contentious issues among senators. Pro-drilling Democrats like Mary Landrieu have said that the incentives for drilling are crucial to getting their votes."

Kate Sheppard reports for Mother Jones May. 4, 2010.

See Also:

"After the Gulf Spill, Judging Big Oil's Place at Senate Table" (ClimateWire)

"Gulf Oil Spill Threatens to Rearrange Washington's Climate Agenda" (ClimateWire)

"Oil Spill Seeps Into Climate Bill Politics" (Mother Jones)

"U.S. Oil Spill Hurting Energy Moves In Congress" (Reuters)

"Connections In Congress May Aid BP Lobby Effort" (Sunlight Foundation)

"Big Contributor BP Finds Itself Without a Friend on the Hill" (Greenwire)

"Pundits Speak: Oil Spill Makes Climate Bill Less Likely" (Grist)

"Lieberman on Gulf Spill: "Accidents Happen"" (Mother Jones)

Lieberman Defends Drilling; Durbin Acknowledges Dem Dissent (E2Wire)

"Oil spill seen as energy opportunity for Obama" (Los Angeles Times)

Face Down in the Mud, Flat-Lined (AP)