Roy Blunt Says Drilling Can Wait

U.S. House Majority Whip Roy Blunt says getting a deal on offshore drilling can wait until after November's midterm elections.

This report is from Greenwire, a publication that tracks energy and environmental news.

House Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) does not believe the House and Senate need to reach an offshore drilling agreement before Congress adjourns for the midterm elections.

Blunt told reporters the September schedule is already busy with the House trying to move several security-related bills and one or two appropriations conference reports before leaving at the end of the month. He said the House sent a "great bill" to the Senate and called for continued talks.

"We are trying to advance offshore deepwater drilling this year," Blunt said. "We want to continue to have the kind of debate that brings real assistance to our energy needs in the country rather than worry about the calendar and what bill we can pass first."

The Senate leadership is pressing the House to accept Senate-passed legislation before the fall break. The Senate bill opens 8.3 million acres of the Gulf of Mexico to new oil and gas leasing, while the House measure is much broader, expanding gulf access but also relaxing offshore leasing bans that now cover most coastal areas outside the gulf.

Senate leaders say the bill focused on the gulf is the most expansive measure their chamber can pass this year. Advocates of the House bill argue the Senate plan does not provide access to enough new resources and say their bill is a more comprehensive approach.

One industry lobbyist said falling gasoline prices may be removing some of the urgency over having an energy measure completed before Congress breaks for fall campaigning.