Congress passed legislation Friday that will expand drilling for oil and natural gas in the Gulf of Mexico. Republican Florida Senator Mel Martinez says he believes Florida beaches will be properly protected.

Eight-point-three million acres of Eastern Gulf will be opened up for new drilling leases. But Florida will have a 125 mile no-drilling zone off the state’s west coast. Senator Martinez helped craft protections for Florida in the bill. He says more drilling was inevitable.

"What we can do with this bill is provide a zone of protection so that that activity occurs in what we believe provides Florida the most buffer of any."

The House passed the Senate bill by slipping it into a larger tax extension bill that modified some regulations of Medicare. Fort Myers Republican Connie Mack, who has opposed drilling in the past, voted for the overall package. Supporters hope the legislation will increase domestic supplies of fuel and eventually ease prices for consumers.

The Senate is debating a bill that would open up more than eight million acres of the Gulf of Mexico to oil and natural gas drilling. Republican Florida Senator Mel Martinez says Florida will be protected and supports the bill. But Florida Democrat Bill Nelson is concerned the U-S House could change the legislation. From Capitol Hill, Terry Gildea reports.

Last night (Thursday), the U-S House of Representatives passed a bill that would lift a federal ban on off-shore drilling. Unable to come to a consensus on whether to support or reject the bill, the Florida delegation splintered its vote. But Fort Myers Republican Connie Mack says the bill does not give Florida the protection it needs. From Capitol Hill, Terry Gildea (gil DAY) reports.

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee met yesterday to decide whether Dirk Kempthorne should be confirmed as the next Secretary of the Interior. President Bush chose the Republican Idaho Governor to succeed outgoing secretary Gale Norton. But Florida’s Senators are concerned Kempthorne will move ahead with a plan that could open up the eastern gulf to off-shore drilling. From Capitol Hill, Terry Gildea reports.

The Senate Energy Committee is considering legislation that would open up millions of acres in the Gulf of Mexico to drilling for oil and natural gas. Republican Florida Senator Mel Martinez was at a hearing Thursday offering a solution to protect Florida’s coastline. From Capitol Hill, Terry Gildea reports.

Republican Congressman Connie Mack and Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz joined forces Wednesday. They met with members of the House Resources Committee to debate the pros and cons of opening up the Eastern Gulf to natural gas drilling. From Capitol Hill, Terry Gildea (gil DAY) has more.

As Hurricane moves closer to the state’s coast, Florida Republican Governor Jeb Bush testified before a Homeland Security Committee on Capitol Hill Wednesday. He responded to questions about how the military should work with state and local governments in responding to disasters. From ouR Capitol Hill Bureau, Terry Gildea reports.

Record high gas prices have motivated recent efforts in Congress to increase the nation’s energy supply. But Republican Senator Mel Martinez insists drilling off of Florida’s coast should not be part of that plan. From our Capitol Hill Bureau, Terry Gildea (gil DAY) reports.

With natural gas prices at record highs, pressure is mounting to increase drilling in the Eastern Gulf. Part of a new bill would open up the entire outer continental shelf to natural gas companies almost immediately, but Fort Myers Republican Congressman Connie Mack says he won’t let that happen. From our Capitol Hill Bureau, Terry Gildea reports.

Pensacola Republican Congressman Jeff Miller is working with fellow lawmakers Michael Bilirakis and Cliff Stearns to permanently protect Florida’s coastline. From our Capitol Hill Bureau, Terry Gildea reports.