A bipartisan bill that would send to Gulf Coast states billions of dollars in fines from last year's Deepwater Horizon oil spill is headed to the full Senate, even as new concerns about the legislation surfaced in committee.

The Environment and Public Works Committee passed an amended version of the bill, S. 1400, in a voice vote, with ranking member James Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) asking to be recorded as no votes.

Sponsored by Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), the bill would capture 80 percent of the Clean Water Act penalties resulting from the spill and divide it among Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. Under current law, the money would flow into a Treasury trust to pay for future spill cleanups.

"This is the most important step Congress can take to ensure that the Gulf Coast recovers from the economic and ecological destruction caused by the oil spill," Landrieu said in a statement after the vote.

Fines are expected to range from $5.4 billion to $21.1 billion. The final dollar figure will likely be negotiated between companies deemed responsible and the Justice Department.

Senate Republicans are raising concerns about language included in the amended version that passed today. That language, requested by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), would establish and fund a national oceans trust fund to support research using a small portion of the funds.

Inhofe expressed opposition to the provision, arguing it was an inappropriate addition used to secure Whitehouse's vote. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), in line to become the Senate's No. 2 Republican, was also said to be opposed to the measure.

Inhofe also raised concerns about setting a precedent for using environmental fines as a revenue stream.

Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) said he agreed with those concerns and signaled that he was undecided whether he would support the bill on the floor.