House Passes Bill to Boost Refineries

House Passes Bill to Boost Refineries: "President Bush welcomed the outcome. 'I commend the House for passing legislation that would increase our refining capacity and help address the cost of gasoline, diesel fuels and jet fuels,' he said in a statement.

It looked as if the bill was headed to defeat, two votes shy of approval. Democrats called in vain for gaveling the vote closed as GOP leaders lobbied their members to switch votes and support the bill.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., 'worked me over a little,' said Rep. Bill Young, R-Fla., among the last group of lawmakers to switch to support the legislation.

Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas, who recently stepped down temporarily as majority leader after being indicted in Texas over a campaign finance issue, was as active as ever, putting pressure on wavering lawmakers in the crowded, noisy House chamber.

Finally, long after the vote had been scheduled to close, two Republican members switched, providing the victory. A tie would have killed the bill.

Afterward, Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California called it all 'a shameless display of the Republican culture of corruption,' a theme she has used in recent days on a number of issues since DeLay's indictment."