NEWS FLASH
House GOP Exploits Disasters As Political Football In Budget Showdown | House Republicans are working to pass a budget resolution to fund the federal government through November 18 that funds $3.6 billion in emergency relief for the climate disasters that have struck Americans this year. The bill robs $1.5 billion from the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program at the Department of Energy to offset $1 billion of the disaster spending. Before the vote, House Democrats protested vigorously the use of disasters as a political football, and for cutting a valuable jobs program that is revitalizing American manufacturing — and that would reduce the greenhouse pollution that is fueling these disasters. Throughout the year, Republicans have killed efforts to reduce billions of dollars of fossil fuel subsidies.
Update
After procedural votes that moved the bill forward on procedural votes, the final vote on passage of the resolution is scheduled for 5 pm.
Update
In a major upset, the continuing resolution failed after 48 Republicans defected, handing a major victory for clean energy jobs and the fundamental principle that the United States government will help its citizens in times of emergency, without recourse to political gamesmanship.
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