Congress warms to new oil drilling Senate Democrats promised a series of votes next week on offshore oil drilling as Republicans agreed Monday to let the Senate proceed on a defense bill that had been bottled up because of partisan disputes over the country's energy priorities. Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said he is ready to take up two proposals that would allow limited oil and gas drilling 50 miles off Florida's Gulf coast and in the Atlantic off four southeastern states as well as a broader Republican drilling bill. "We are offering Republicans multiple opportunities to vote for increased drilling," declared Reid, addressing what has become the biggest energy issue in Congress as well as in the presidential campaign....