A vote HR 3893, a bill on oil drilling, refining, and pricing, is being held open by the chair despite the fact that all members present have voted. The current tally is 210 yeas, 212 nays. The only possible reason to keep a vote open when every vote has been cast is to try to strong-arm members to change their votes.
This vote has been open for over an hour. Obviously the Repubs don't want to lose. Dems keep making parliamentary inquiries to move the process along and are being shut down by the chair.
This is appalling. They are truly thugs.
Breaking News: The Repubs just tried to close the vote. They must have have gotten a couple of weasels to turn. Now they will not recognize Minority Leader Pelosi.
About the bill, from The Sierra Club
Statement by David Hamilton, Director of the Sierra Club's Global Warming and Energy Program
"The Energy Bill being brought to the floor of Congress this week exploits the tragedies of Hurricane Katrina and Rita to push through failed energy and air policies the Republican leadership in the House wasn't able to get into the Energy Bill passed earlier this year. Right now they are working with the energy industry to exhume those failed energy policies that make America less safe and more dependent on oil - including eliminating safeguards for building new refineries and creating a scheme to weaken clean air and water protections that only benefit polluting industries.
Update: The vote was closed with 212 yeas and 210 nays. The thugs pulled it out. Now we need to find the flippers and make their lives miserable. And we need to keep the heat on so everyone knows what these weasels are about.