Climate Politics/Capitol Light (33)

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                                                                      October 16, 2019                                                           

                                                   But, it's a long, long while from May to December
                                                 But the days grow short when you reach September
                                                When the autumn weather turns the leaves to flame
                                                          One hasn't got time for the waiting game

The lyrics above were written by Maxwell Anderson—a liberal Pulitzer prize-winning playwright and journalist from the 1920s until his death in 1959. Although having nothing to do with politics, September Song’s chorus perfectly reflects what’s going on these days on Capitol Hill—right down to not having time for the waiting game. Wait, we must, while Congress deals with impeachment inquiries and the precipitous pull-out of US forces from Syria.

Trump has certainly gotten his wish of being the center of attention. Unfortunately for the nation, the other business of government is being put on hold.

Congress must still face the problem of keeping the government open past the November 21st ending of the current continuing resolution. The various appropriations bills waiting in the queue are going to be hard-pressed to get the attention they deserve. Somewhat unusual and unfortunate, the Senate’s energy and water and commerce-justice-science appropriations bills have bipartisan support. Unusual because anything bipartisan these days is the exception, unfortunate because all the work that went into them appears wasted—at least for the moment.

Also hanging around the halls of Congress waiting for attention are critical issues like tax extender legislation, which would involve electric vehicles, wind, solar, and possibly biomass and efficiency technologies. However, the extenders bill promises to be somewhat problematic because the chair of the finance committee, Chuck Grassley (R-IA) was gearing up to fight any Democratic proposals that involved reneging on agreements made in 2017 that were one and done, e.g., wind credit (see below).

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