River, Wyoming Range bills move to Senate. Jackson Hole News and Guide. By Noah Brenner.
The Wyoming Range bill, sponsored by Wyoming’s Republican senators, would withdraw a big area of scenic, wildlife rich and and unstable soil from oil and gas leasing (contrary to the party’s push to open everything up on public lands).
It should be interesting. The Wyoming Range bill is protected politically to a degree by being part of an omnibus bill.
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Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University with specialties in natural resource politics, public opinion, interest groups, political parties, voting and elections. Aside from academic publications, he is author or co-author of three hiking/backpacking guides, and he is President of the Western Watersheds Project.
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Ralph, I am not sure that lumping these two bills in with a bunch of others is a good thing.
The Wyoming Range and Snake River bills by themselves had at some amount of bipartisan support and Bush has said he would not veto them because of their support of our current Republican Senators and former Republican Seantor Thomas. But now they are lumped into a larger bill you never know what will happen, especially if it makes it to Bush.
I have my fingers crossed this gets through! But I have to admit my hopes are a little dashed after this news.
Wyo Native. You may be right. In addition, Senator Craig might try to put a “hold” on them, although his status is so low that Senator Reid may not honor his request for a hold.
I have a dislike of omnibus legislation in general as well because it promotes irresponsible legislating. There is always something good and something bad in the “legislative package,” and so a member of Congress can justify his or her vote on the entire thing, for or against, on the basis on one thing they like or dislike. Then they can write to you agree with whatever you say about the defeat or the passage of the particular part you were interested in.