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The Mark-Up, 05-21-2009
TPMDC's daily update on the biggest legislative initiatives on the Hill:
- Climate Change: The marathon mark up of the Waxman-Markey climate change bill continued today, with at least one moment of levity as a speed reader, hired by Energy and Commerce Committee Democrats to motor through Republican delay tactics, was called before the panel to read part of an amendment. Incidentally, if you want to track changes to the bill amendment by amendment, you can do so here. The committee's work may be done as soon as tonight.
- Defense Spending: The Senate invoked cloture on the supplemental war-spending bill, now bereft of funds for closing down the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. It's unclear why cloture had to be filed--the final tally was 94-1, the lone dissent being a protest vote by Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI)--but I guess if the GOP didn't insist on cloture, government might get things done quickly, and that would be dispositive of the whole philosophy of conservatism
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Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
So what happens if the climate change work on the committee ends? Could the house vote before the recess?
What kind of a climate bill do we wind up with? Do I hear correctly that it's a cap and trade bill, but that the cap and trade licenses are basically just being handed out to everyone who's polluting now? I guess the idea is that we upgrade to an "auction the permits" system once the administration capacity for a cap and trade system is in place?
May 21, 2009 5:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
"It's unclear why cloture had to be filed-"
To keep up the Repug CRAP that it takes 60 votes to get something passed. In reality, it takes 51 votes to pass laws, but I guess if you asked, most Americans would think "60" is the "Magic Number", a lie pounded into the American public daily by Repugs. The 60 vote thresh hold is to stop debate; which the REPUGS have used to stop legislation that would pass at the 51 vote thresh hold for passing laws!
May 21, 2009 8:55 PM | Reply | Permalink