This vote was on an amendment by Bill Nelson, D-Fla., that would adjust the budget resolution to allow for future legislation to encourage consumers to upgrade household items to those that are more energy efficient, including replacing wood stoves and installing electricity meters.  The amendment also encourages the capture and storage of carbon dioxide emissions from coal projects and oil and natural gas resources beneath the Outer Continental Shelf.

Nelson offered his amendment as a preemptive strike against an amendment to be offered by Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn.  Nelson’s amendment is a copy of Alexander’s amendment, minus language in Alexander’s amendment that would allow drilling for natural gas just off the coast of Virginia.  Drilling for natural gas and oil is mostly prohibited off the coastal waters of the United States, with some exceptions.

The amendment was offered to the budget resolution that serves as the blueprint for Congress’ budget priorities in fiscal 2009. The budget resolution sets overall spending targets for the Appropriations committees and outlines other budget rules.

“My amendment takes out his portion, where he is going to allow oil and gas drilling on the Outer Continental Shelf. Senator Alexander is going to change that just to have gas drilling off Virginia. But I would argue, that is the proverbial camel’s nose under the tent and what we fight about each year: Oil drilling off the coast,” Nelson said.

Alexander countered that allowing drilling off U.S. coastal waters would increase the supply of natural gas and oil, reducing the price of gasoline and making the country less dependent on foreign sources of oil.

“I urge a “no” vote if you want lower energy prices,” Alexander said.

By a vote of 56-43, the Senate adopted Nelson’s amendment. All but one Democrat voted for the amendment (Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, where coastal drilling is allowed).  All but six Republicans voted against the amendment.  The end result is that the bill went forward with language that would encourage more energy efficient household appliances, but that did not contain language allowing coastal drilling off the coast of Virginia.