WASHINGTON, Nov 18 (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a broad energy bill laden with about $23.5 billion in tax breaks, sending the first major energy policy rewrite in a decade to the Senate for final approval.
The energy bill, written mostly by Republicans behind closed doors, was cleared by a congressional negotiating committee late on Monday. Passage of the energy bill is a top White House priority, even though the legislation does not include the White House's plan to drill for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
The true test of the bill's fate will be in the Senate, where some Democrats have threatened to filibuster the legislation when it is brought to the floor for a final vote as early as Wednesday.
Republicans hope the bill's boost in corn-based ethanol production will persuade Senate Democrats -- who oppose many other sections of the bill -- to support the legislation.
Ethanol is a politically sensitive issue in Midwestern states, and the Iowa caucus, one of the earliest barometers of voter preference in the presidential election process, will be held on Jan. 19.