GOP energy bill offers view into Romney energy platform

Senate Republicans on Thursday unveiled a sweeping fossil fuel production bill that is designed to unify pro-drilling lawmakers and trade groups in the weeks before the November election.

Sen. John Hoeven,  R-S.D, the lead sponsor, said he expects many parts of the legislation to make it into the Republican platform at next month's convention in Tampa where Mitt Romney will be formally declared the party's fall presidential nominee.

"I do believe you'll see a lot of what we have here in the platform, that I think on a broad basis not only Republicans support, but Americans support," said Hoeven, who is a co-chairmen of the committee that will draft a platform to be adopted at the Republican National Convention.