Kiernan Sittenfeld News

House Votes To Bar Drilling off Florida Coast

Despite President George W. Bush's calls for more oil and natural gas production at home, the House of Representatives on Thursday voted to block drilling in a lucrative tract off Florida's coast and to bar it in areas protected as national monuments. The Republican-led House also voted to support rules to fight water pollution from hard-rock mining imposed by former President Bill Clinton, fending off industry-backed efforts to ease the regulations. These votes, which were well-received by environmental groups, came as the House of Representatives passed by a 376-32 vote an $18.9 billion bill to fund public lands programs with the Oct. 1 start of the next fiscal year. That was nearly $800 billion more than Bush wanted.