The House of Representatives descended into bedlam Friday as Republican leaders kept a five-minute vote open for more than 40 minutes -- and arm-twisted two of their members to switch their votes -- to pass a new energy bill.
The bill, which would offer incentives for oil companies to build new refineries, sparked angry accusations by Democrats that GOP leaders were abusing House rules to squeeze through the controversial measure.
Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Los Angeles, asked at one point: "Doesn't this make the House a banana republic?"
Democrats chanted "shame! shame!" as the presiding speaker announced that the measure, in response to the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, had passed on a 212-210 vote.
The scene was reminiscent of the House's vote on a Medicare prescription drug benefit in November 2003, when GOP leaders kept the vote open for nearly three hours while trying to persuade reluctant members of their own party to back the measure.
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