Oregon Senate President Peter Courtney announce today he doesn’t have the votes to pass the climate change legislation that caused Senate Republicans to flee the state and seek the protection of armed militias.
Democrats need 16 of their 18 votes to pass the bill as none of the Republicans give two shits about the future of the planet.
Oregon Live
"House Bill 2020 does not have the votes on the Senate floor,” Courtney, D-Salem, said after Democrats assembled on the floor Tuesday. “That will not change.”
He then ticked off a lengthy list of pending policy and budget bills, including protections for foster kids and schoolchildren, that he said have bipartisan support and wants to see passed when and if Republican end their standoff.”
What is unclear to me is how hard Courtney whipped for votes, as he was so anxious that Republicans might not come back to do their jobs.
The Democratic Senator for Boeing was opposed, concerned that they might have to pay higher electric rates.
Senate Majority Leader Ginny Burdick, D-Portland wanted to vote yes on the bill, but when asked if she and Courtney tried to whip the vote said:
"It doesn’t work that way.”
Funny, I thought it always works that way.
Triumphant Republicans don’t want to call this a win however, and are calling for the dead bill to be staked through the heart, burned at the stake and buried in garlic bulbs before they’ll deign to return…
“Sen. Cliff Bentz, R-Ontario, said as of around 10 a.m., he had not yet heard of Courtney’s announcement. However, he said there would be a lot of concern about a possible head fake by Democrats, and he noted a variety of procedural issues that would have to be addressed before Republicans would likely agree to come back to the Capitol.”
I am really angry right now but don’t know enough about Oregon politics to put the Democratic Leadership on blast.
Maybe some readers can shed some light.
In any case Oregon Live has a comprehensive write up that is definitely worth a read.
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[cross-posted to PolitiZoom]