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Energy Bill Tangled Up in Politics Election-season bickering causes bipartisan bill to fail A widely popular, bipartisan energy savings bill fell victim in the Senate on Monday to election-year politics and the Obama administration’s continued indecision on the Keystone XL oil pipeline. A procedural motion to limit debate and send the measure to the Senate floor without amendments fell five votes short of the 60 votes needed for approval. The legislation would tighten efficiency guidelines for new federal buildings and provide tax incentives to make homes and commercial buildings more efficient. It easily cleared a procedural hurdle but stalled after Republican demand for votes on the Canada-to-Texas pipeline and on new administration-proposed greenhouse gas limits for coal-burning power plants. Republicans are united in favor of the pipeline and against the new power plant regulations, while
40%
J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE (AP)
Washington
A group protests against the Keystone XL pipeline in March outside the Capitol.
Democrats are deeply divided on both. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., used a parliamentary maneuver to block Senate votes on the pipeline and power plant rules as part of the energy savings bill. Reid said Monday that Republicans were “still seeking ransom” on the energy savings bill by insisting on the Keystone amendment and other votes. Election-year politics loomed on both sides. Democrats said Republicans were unwilling to hand a vic-
tory on the energy bill to co-sponsor Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, who is facing a re-election challenge from Republican Scott Brown. Democrats also said the GOP wants to deny political cover to Sen. Mary Landrieu, who faces a re-election fight in Louisiana and to other Democrats in energy-producing states who have pushed for the pipeline’s approval during their campaigns. President Barack Obama delayed the project last month, citing uncertainty over the pipeline’s route
— MINORIT Y W HIP JOHN CORN Y N,
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through Nebraska. On the other side, Republicans accused Democrats of dodging a vote on blocking the Obama administration’s proposed limits on carbon pollution from coalfired power plants. No matter the outcome, having to vote on what Republicans call Obama’s “war on coal” would be uncomfortable for Democrats struggling to hold their Senate majority. White House spokesman Jay Carney said Monday that Obama is committed to increasing energy security and efficiency and “will not rest even if Congress won’t act.” (AP)
The proportion of Americans who carry $20 or less in cash in their wallets on a regular basis; 9 percent don’t carry any, according to a report from Bankrate.com. The findings aren’t too surprising at a time when people are able to swipe their debit cards to buy a pack of gum and scan their phones to buy a latte. (THE WASHINGTON POST )
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Obama Doesn’t Always Follow Public Support Washington In pushing the need for an increase in the minimum wage, President Barack Obama is using a favorite rhetorical device: reminding people that the vast majority of Americans agree with him. It’s a strategy he’s used on many issues, from gun background checks to a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. But sometimes it works against him. The Keystone XL pipeline: Polls show that around two-thirds of Americans support construction. The 20-week abortion ban: A Washington Post-ABC News poll last year showed A mericans approved of shortening the window for abortions from 24 weeks to 20 weeks by a margin of about 2-to-1. A balanced budget amendment: An NBC/Wall Street Journal poll from 2011 showed Americans approved of this idea 61-28. A ARON BL AKE (THE WASHINGTON POST )
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“The Senate used to be a place of great debate and accomplishment. Now it is run like a dictatorship shutting out the voices of millions of Americans.”
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