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Senate Dem leadership works against Coburn ethanol plan
The Senate Democratic leadership is urging Democrats to vote against Sen. Tom Coburn’s (R-Okla.) amendment to kill ethanol industry tax incentives Tuesday, according to aides.
The politics of ethanol split along lines that are more regional than partisan. But Democratic leaders are upset that Coburn last week used an uncommon procedural tactic to force a test vote on ending the credit for blending ethanol into gasoline and on repealing the ethanol import tariff.
A Democratic aide said the opposition to the Coburn amendment is “on procedural grounds.”
“Coburn doesn’t run the Senate,” the aide said.
Other aides confirmed that leadership is whipping against Coburn's amendment, which would need 60 votes to advance in a test vote scheduled for Tuesday.
Coburn’s amendment to an economic development bill mirrors legislation he has introduced with Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) that would quickly end the ethanol tax break and import tariff.
