Pelosi Issues Statement on Failure of Senate to Pass New Energy Bill
On Friday, the Office of the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi released her statement in response to the Senate's failure to invoke cloture on a House-passed energy bill.
Cloture is defined as the one procedure through which the Senate can
vote to place a time limit on consideration of a bill or other matter
in order to overcome a filibuster. Under Rule XXI, the Senate may limit
consideration of a pending matter to 30 additional hours, but only by
vote of not less than three-fifths of the full Senate, which typically
means no fewer than 60 votes.
"I am disappointed that the Senate was unable to move forward today on the historic energy legislation the House passed yesterday. The House will work
with the Senate on a bipartisan basis to pass a strong energy bill and
send it to the President's desk for his signature," stated Pelosi.
Those in the Senate who are opposed to the new energy bill, largely Republicans, do not like the roll-back of oil
companies' tax breaks, mandates for alternative energy minimum
electricity generation levels by 2020, or the inclusion of pork. The
cloture bid was shot down by a vote of 53-42.
The Bush Administration has already said the President
will veto the bill if the tax break roll-backs and renewable energy
mandates are not amended or removed. The elimination of the tax breaks
would cost big oil companies an additional $13 billion over the next decade, and those opposed are concerned that that would hinder their business and drive up oil and gas prices.
Republican
critics have stated that government cannot tax better fuel and energy
standards and policies into existence and they must be engendered by
the free market. They argue that creating taxes and mandates harms consumers and the economy by sharply driving up prices...
Full article: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/472036/pelosi_issues_statement_on_failure.html
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Read also:
The green philosophy of Dennis Kucinich
The Democratic candidate calls for a new energy paradigm. But are Americans ready to be "in harmony with nature"?
By Amanda Griscom Little
Full article: http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2007/12/11/kucinich_qa/
