Senate Proceedings Republicans Block Subpoena Power to Investigate BP

After a vote in the House of 420-1, once this made it to the Senate floor the big business friendly Republicans only response was; "On behalf of other members of the Republican Conference in the Senate, I object."

Did the Senate Republicans have closed door discussions with their brethren in the House to give them political cover to vote in favor of this? We should not be surprised it died in the Senate because investigations would uncover the unsavory ties many Senators have to BP.