Energy/Environment

Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said he’s sure Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is bluffing about ending the filibuster.

Freshman Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-Okla.) indicated Tuesday that he would soon introduce legislation that would boost spending for weather forecasting, and reduce spending on climate change research.

Bridenstine said the government is spending far too much on climate research, and not nearly enough on weather forecasting. He said weather forecasting is more important for people in his state who have been hit by several tornadoes this year.

Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) proposed “four grand principles” to guide the United States toward clean energy independence.

“We will likely have a cheap sustainable supply of energy if we let the free market work,” Alexander said in a floor speech Monday. “Cheaper and more reliable energy is in our grasp.”

Republicans first sought in April to kill the Prevention and Public Health fund in ObamaCare.

Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) said he still couldn’t support President Obama’s nominee to head the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) because she is “stonewalling.”

“The job of EPA administrator has the potential to impact the life of every American in both positive and negative ways — and so I believe she has to be as forthcoming as possible in answering questions,” Sessions said Thursday. “To date, she has not provided responsive answers to many of the requests submitted by our ranking member, Sen. [David] Vitter (R-La.), or many of my questions.”

In a 241 to 175 vote, the House approved a bill that would take the decision of building Keystone out of Obama's hands.

The House on Wednesday approved a rule governing floor consideration of a bill that would approve the construction of the northern leg of the Keystone XL pipeline, setting up a Thursday vote to pass the bill.

Members approved the rule for H.R. 3, the Northern Route Approval Act, in a 228-185 vote. Nine Democrats supported the rule, a sign that several will support the final bill on Thursday.

Republicans on the House Rules Committee agreed Tuesday to make nine Democratic amendments in order to a bill authorizing construction of the Keystone pipeline, including one that would gut the bill entirely.

The House will take up H.R. 3, the Northern Route Approval Act, on Wednesday, when it is expected to pass with GOP support. Allowing debate on the nine amendments will give Democrats a chance to raise several problems they have with the bill, even though the substantive amendments are likely to fail.

House Republicans on Tuesday rejected a Democratic attempt to derail legislation that would deem the northern leg of the Keystone pipeline as approved.

This bit of technical jujitsu on the House floor came just a day before the House is expected to take up H.R. 3, the Northern Route Approval Act. That bill is expected to pass the House on Wednesday with the support of at least a dozen Democrats.

House Democrats this week will challenge Republican plans to call up legislation that provides for congressional approval of the Keystone pipeline, and removes the need for presidential approval.

Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) on Monday said he would raise a question of the privileges of the House in order to challenge consideration of H.R. 3, the Northern Route Approval Act. House Republicans are expected to call up that bill on Wednesday.