US Senate to turn its focus on tax cuts after failure to pass energy efficiency bill

The Washington Examiner said that US lawmakers will be expected to vote on Monday to either end the debate on an energy efficiency bill. The report said that the bill, which was authored by a Republican-Democrat team of Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Rob Portman, had been the subject of intense bickering from both parties this month. The bill, proponents have said, was introduced to reportedly increase the use of energy-efficient technology in households and businesses and would also create jobs. The bill is predicted to concede to defeat on Monday, the paper said.

It is expected that the Democrats, who currently has control of 55 votes, will unlikely pick the first five votes from the Republicans, which is necessary to cut off the debate on the bill and proceed to a final vote about the future of the proposed measure. The Examiner said that such move occurred because the GOP was unable to get their wish to amend the bill with energy provisions that are currently the top priority of the Republicans. Among these provisions are reportedly measures that would speed up natural gas exports and would block new regulations of the Environmental Protection Agency on new coal-fired power plants.

The Examiner said Democrat Senator Harry Reid had passed on the opportunity to amend the proposed energy efficiency bill and instead counter-offered to call a vote to allow the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline project. Because the Obama administration had pushed the decision to greenlight the pipeline after the 2014 midterm elections, the GOP rejected Reid's offer and reported;y insisted of getting the amendments they want on the energy-efficiency bill.

Last week, Reid said, "It seems like this is nothing but a game of diversion and obstruction to many Senate Republicans. But it's not a game. Every time a group of Republicans feigns interest in bipartisanship, only to scramble away at the last moment, it is part of a calculated political scheme."

The tax cut bill, which could cost the country $85 billion to implement it, would extend over 50 tax cut measures for individuals and businesses by a minimum of two years, the Examiner said.

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US Senate, US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid

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