House Passes Backroom Energy Bill Democrats introduced a 290-page energy bill at 9:45 p.m. Monday night which passed 236-189 Tuesday evening -- just over 24 hours after the bill was filed. The bill reportedly did not go through any committees or subcommittees, and Democratic leaders are not allowing a single amendment to be offered. If passed by both houses, the bill would keep 80 percent to 88 percent of known domestic reserves permanently off limits. States would not receive any revenue by allowing offshore drilling, and electricity costs would increase and potentially double in certain states, Republican opponents say. There would be no drilling allowed less than 50 miles offshore -- where experts predict 80 percent to 88 percent of America’s domestic reserves are located. The bill also lacks litigation reform needed to ensure leases will not be tied up by environmentalist-driven lawsuits and makes no provisions for nuclear or clean coal energy....