"The House approved an amendment Thursday pushed by Gulf State lawmakers to dedicate 80 percent of the fines collected from the BP oil spill to a trust fund for coastal restoration of Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana and Texas."

"The agreement to the amendment was by voice vote; the entire bill, which is the energy portion of the Surface Transportation Act, also was approved Thursday evening, 237 to 187.

The Restore Act has been a top priority of Gulf State lawmakers, especially as the BP trial is due to start at the end of the month, and House Gulf members were able to inject the issue into the debate over energy and oil and gas drilling. Reps. Steve Palazzo, R-Miss., Steve Scalise, R-La., and Pete Olson, R-Texas, were among those involved in pushing the bill."

Maria Recio reports for McClatchy Newspapers February 16, 2012 [2]