Montana, the nation's fourth-largest energy-producing state on a per-capita basis, is one Western state that no longer has huge surpluses.

At the same time, energy-producing states are amassing huge surpluses.

The Energy Council is a legislation organization of twelve energy-producing states, five Canadian provinces, and one South American nation.

The South has been hurt by a slump in energy-producing states such as Texas and Louisiana.

Meanwhile, congressmen from energy-producing states are going around town telling everybody who is willing to listen what splendid concessions they got in return for their votes.

That includes 43,200 jobs lost in 10 energy-producing states and 121,200 jobs gained in the other 40.

Rising oil prices have injected new life into a host of programs that members of Congress from energy-producing states have tried to push for years.

Senator David L. Boren, an Oklahoma Democrat, said such a tax would hurt his energy-producing state and harm efforts to trim the deficit.

Nearly a dozen Federal entities are holding tens of thousands of repossessed homes, office buildings and shopping malls, largely due to the economic bust in the energy-producing states.

Democrats from energy-producing states like Arkansas and Louisiana joined with Republicans.