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  July 15, 2011, 1:39 pm

Cantor on support for new taxes: 'I just disagree'

By Pete Kasperowicz

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) on Friday rejected the assertion from Democrats that the vast majority of Americans support higher taxes as a way out of the government's looming fiscal crisis.

President Obama made that assertion in a Friday press conference, and it was repeated by House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) in a discussion with Cantor on the House floor. Hoyer cited a poll that said 74 percent of Republicans can accept a debt-ceiling agreement that includes new tax revenues.

"To the gentleman's suggestion that that's where the American public is, I just disagree," Cantor said in reply. "I don't talk to anybody that says, 'please raise my taxes.'"

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  July 15, 2011, 12:48 pm

Senate committees to examine disaster recovery, domestic energy, defense of marriage

By Josiah Ryan

Senate committees next week will hold a series of high-profile hearings to examine a range of issues, including the impact of the storms that tore across the Midwest in the spring to the Defense of Marriage Act.

Committees will also hold hearings on further exploiting domestic energy resources as well as facilitating appropriate oil and gas development on federal land and waters.

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  July 15, 2011, 12:41 pm

House approves 2012 Department of Energy funding bill

By Pete Kasperowicz

The House on Friday narrowly approved a 2012 appropriations bill funding the Department of Energy and related agencies.

Members approved the bill, H.R. 2354, by a 219-196 vote. All but 21 Republicans voted for the bill, along with just 10 Democrats.

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  July 15, 2011, 12:06 pm

House rejects significant cuts to energy and water bill

By Pete Kasperowicz

The House on Friday voted down several proposals to significantly cut spending to the 2012 Energy and Water Appropriations bill, including one amendment to cut another $1.5 billion from the bill.

The bill, H.R. 2354, already cuts about $1 billion from fiscal 2011 levels, and proposals to go beyond that were met with resistance from both Democrats and Republicans.

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  July 15, 2011, 10:41 am

Rep. Allen West: McConnell's debt-ceiling plan a 'dog that don't hunt'

By Josiah Ryan

Freshman Republican Allen West (Fla.) described Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell's (Ky.) plan to raise the debt ceiling a "dog that don't hunt."

“That dog don’t hunt,” West said when asked about the proposal, according to Bloomberg News. "Seems like an acquiescence to me.”

McConnell’s proposal, which would give President Obama the power to raise the debt ceiling, has drawn fire from both sides of the aisle. 

“It seems to be a political document,” said Sen. Charles Schumer, (N.Y.), the Senate Democrats’ Policy Committee chairman, on Thursday. 

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  July 15, 2011, 10:39 am

House quickly approves light bulb language by voice vote

By Pete Kasperowicz

The House on Friday morning quickly approved language that would prohibit the use of funds in a 2012 spending bill from being used to implement federal light bulb standards.

The House on Thursday night took up an amendment from Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas) to defund those standards. After what seemed like House acceptance of the amendment by voice vote, Burgess asked for a recorded vote.

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  July 15, 2011, 9:37 am

Senators propose new federal grants to improve environmental education

By Pete Kasperowicz

Several senators on Thursday introduced legislation that would establish a five-year program offering federal grants to states that seek to improve environmental education.

The No Child Left Inside Act, S. 1372, does not specify how much money would be spent, and instead would authorize "such sums as may be necessary" to implement the program.

"Teaching children about the environment and giving them a hands-on opportunity to experience nature makes them smarter and healthier," said Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), one of the lead sponsors of the bill. "Environmental education should be an important part of the curriculum in our schools."

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  July 15, 2011, 8:37 am

Friday: House to finish Energy and Water, Senate is out

By Pete Kasperowicz

The House meets at 10 a.m. for legislative work, and is expected to finish the 2012 Energy and Water Appropriations Act.

Members face several votes today to more significantly cut the $30.6 billion bill funding the Department of Energy and other agencies. But based on prior votes, the House is expected to essentially maintain current funding in the bill, which is $1 billion lower than fiscal 2011 levels.

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  July 14, 2011, 8:00 pm

House expected to vote down tougher cuts to water and energy bill on Friday

By Pete Kasperowicz

The House on Friday will face several chances to cut millions in spending under the 2012 Energy and Water Appropriations Act, although all indications point to the likelihood that members will vote against these measures.

The House has debated the spending bill, H.R. 2354, for much of the week, and has considered several amendments already that would cut spending more severely than the $1 billion in cuts presented in the bill. The House finished work on amendments at about 7:30 p.m. Thursday, and adjourned shortly thereafter.

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  July 14, 2011, 7:13 pm

Reid scolds senators for showing up late to votes

By Josiah Ryan

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) complained on Thursday that senators were showing up late to votes, and warned he would no longer continue to hold them open to accommodate stragglers regardless of party affiliation.

“I'm giving fair warning to everyone,” said Reid. "We've gotten very nonchalant about coming to vote." 

On Wednesday, however, Reid — along with most of the Senate Democratic leadership — showed up about 25 minutes late to a cloture vote on the Veterans Administration funding bill.

"It's not fair to everyone else who gets here on time," said Reid on Thursday. "So everyone is on notice, we're going to cut the votes off at 20 minutes. People come straggling in eight, 10 minutes late. That's not going to work anymore. It will affect Democrats and Republicans." 

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