The House has passed the Energy Bill. Edward Felker writes at the Post Bulletin's Political Party blog Energy Bill passes with Walz, Kline splitting:
The House today passed a sweeping energy bill on a mostly party-line 235-181 roll call vote, with Rep. Tim Walz, D-Mankato voting for and Rep. John Kline, R-Lakeville, voting against. Republicans complained about the bill's repeal of $13 billion in tax breaks for oil companies, which is to partially offset more than $21 billion in new energy production and conservation incentives. President Bush has pledged to veto the bill if it includes the tax provisions and contains a 15 percent renewables mandate for investor-owned electricity utilities.
The AP reports How They Voted: Energy Bill. In Minnesota's delegation, Republican Jim Ramstad joined the five DFL members in voting yes. Kline and Bachmann voted no.
The Minneapolis-based Institute for Agriculture and Tradee POlicy's Ag Observatory picks up a Walz press release in Walz Organizes Freshmen House Democrats To Support Landmark Energy Legislation:
Today, Congressman Tim Walz said that Congress is poised to pass an ambitious Energy Bill that will put the United States on a path toward energy independence, strengthening our national security, lowering energy costs, growing our economy, create new “green collar” jobs, and reducing the harmful gases that drive global climate change.
“This bill is critically important to Minnesota’s agricultural producers and to our economy,” said Congressman Tim Walz. Walz, who as Freshman Class President continues to work to ensure his fellow first-term Representatives support the bill when it comes to a vote later today, went on to say, “The ground breaking Energy Independence and Security Act will increase the efficiency of our vehicles, make an historic commitment to American-grown biofuels, and improve energy efficiency standards for a wide range of products, appliances, lighting and buildings.”
Walz noted that the energy bill repeals tax breaks for profit-rich oil companies, and invests that money in clean renewable energy and new American technologies. Not only would this reduce our dependence on foreign oil, he said, but the measure will also save consumers billions of dollars.
Yesterday, Congressman Walz organized a letter signed by twenty-seven of the members of the freshman class, urging passage of this historic energy independence package and to send a comprehensive energy bill to the President before the end of the year.
Go read the overview at the Ag Observatory.
Updating the GI Bill
The Iraq Insider, a blog written by Travis Sharp, the Military Policy Analyst at the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, gives Kudos to Tim Walz and Congress for new Nat. Guard proposal:
I try not to promote legislation that often, but I occasionally make exceptions, as I did back in September to praise Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) for his amendment to prevent the Veterans Administration from rounding down on calculating veterans' benefits.
This time my praise goes to Rep. Tim Walz (D-MN-1), who has been working on shepherding H.R. 3882 through the House.
H.R. 3882 would amend the Montgomery G.I. Bill by altering the requirements for receiving Chapter 30 G.I. Bill benefits. It would, according to the Congressional Budget Office's "scorekeeping" cost estimate analysis just released, entitle current and former members of the selected reserve to receive Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) education benefits based on 20 months of active-duty service rather than the current requirement of 24 months.
Here is CBO's estimation of the positive impact this bill will have:Based on information from the Department of Defense, CBO estimates that this provision would allow about 16,000 reservists or former reservists to begin receiving MGIB benefits immediately, with more qualifying each year. CBO estimates that about 5,000 of those would sign up for MGIB and that most of them would pay the additional $600 to receive the enhanced monthly benefit.
It seems like this is the least we can do for our brave and much-deserving reservist personnel, which is probably why the bill enjoys bipartisan support and has 126 cosponsors.
Minnesota Central on the Strib's persistent press release jourrnalism
McPherson Hall notes the odd persistance of an old story as the lead article at Political Connected in Top Issue in MN First District : Immigration ? ? ?. A couple of highlights:
The Star-Tribune continues to lead its online Politically Connected section with Mark Brunswick’s article Illegal immigration emerges as key issue in First District race : At the behest of an advocacy group, Republican candidate Dick Day went to the U.S.-Mexican border, and others may follow.
Let’s address the Star-Tribune first and then the immigration issue.
As an online media source, readers want to read current news. I believe this story was first released on November 28 … yet here it is at the top of the page as with notation that it was updated on December 4th. So what was the update? . . .
. . .It is disappointing that Dick Day and his fellow Republicans candidates are listening to advocacy groups and not the people that they wish to represent. It’s also disappointing that the media becomes part of the publicity machine changing focus from issues that truly need attention.
Our story from Jackson will have to wait until tomorrow morning, as we're dog-tired.
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