Offshore-drilling bill clears House

WASHINGTON — The House on Friday approved a bill to boost safety standards for offshore drilling and remove a $75 million cap on economic liability for oil spills.

Democratic leaders called the bill a comprehensive response to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and said it would increase drilling safety and crackdown on oil companies such as BP.

Republicans and some oilstate Democrats opposed the measure, calling it a federal power grab that would raise energy prices and kill thousands of American jobs.

The House passed the bill 209-193. Partisan disagreements in the Senate will likely delay final passage of legislation responding to the Gulf oil spill until at least September, when Congress returns from its summer recess.

Democratic Rep. Vic Snyder was the only member of Arkansas’ House delegation to back the bill. Democratic Rep. Mike Ross and Republican Rep. John Boozman opposed it, and Democratic Rep. Marion Berry was listed as “not voting.”