As Democrats pushed for the bill's narrow victory last month, some 300 pages of last-minute amendments were added, many that would make money for the constituencies of lawmakers on the fence.

Washington D.C. -- Less than 24 hours before the House approved its landmark energy and climate bill last month, sophomore Democrat Ed Perlmutter from Colorado got several paragraphs added to the 1,200-page measure -- additions expected to be worth millions of dollars to companies that install solar panels.

At about the same time, Rep. Melissa Bean (D-Ill.) took the lead in adding another little-noticed provision to the bill -- a section designed to prevent regulatory action she said could shut down the multitrillion-dollar market for over-the-counter derivatives, a complex type of financial instrument.

These narrowly focused amendments were part of a torrent written into the bill during the wheeling and dealing that took place as Democratic leaders rounded up the votes needed to squeak out a narrow victory.

In all, there were some 300 pages of last-minute amendments, many designed to make money for industries and constituencies important to fence-sitting congress members.

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