On Friday the U.S. House narrowly passed (vote here, with public interest vote= NAY) the controversial Gasoline for America's Security Act, HR 3893, after leadership held the voting machine open for over 40 minutes on a nominal 5-minute vote while it twisted arms. If enacted, a little-noticed "loser pays" provision would reverse centuries of U.S. jurisprudence and require citizen groups to pay attorneys' fees of the prevailing parties (the government and the oil companies) if they lose legitimate (non-frivolous) lawsuits brought in good faith against oil refinery and pipeline projects.