As the price of benchmark West Texas crude oil topped $70 a barrel for the first time in 10 months, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) yesterday affirmed her support for the tougher fuel-economy standards recently passed by the Senate, the Washinton Post reports.

And after a news conference touting energy measures recently approved by 11 House committees, Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (Md.) said such standards — currently missing from the House measures — would be introduced in time to resolve differences between House and Senate energy legislation later this year.

But neither Pelosi nor Hoyer, in an effort to avoid confrontation with House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman John D. Dingell (Mich.), said how they planned to introduce the fuel-efficiency measure.

Pelosi said she and Dingell, who opposes tough economy standards for the auto industry, were “in conversation” about how to handle the issue. Hoyer said there would not necessarily be “one comprehensive package” on energy but that the several measures would move in pieces. Citing the press of other business such as appropriations bills, Hoyer left it unclear when an energy bill would go to the House floor.

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