US Senate begins broad energy bill debate

• 8 years ago (2016-01-29)

North America 1004

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The bill was crafted by Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski (Republican) and Washington Senator Maria Cantwell (Democrat), and they tried to create a bill that could pass with bipartisan support in an election year.

Murkowski said: "We found common ground in many areas, more, perhaps, than any of us expected," she also said.

The news follows a recent trend of energy policy collaboration between the two political sides. In December Congress voted to end a 40-year-old ban on exporting crude oil – a republican priority – while including a clause to extend tax breaks to boost renewable energy for five years, which was a democrat policy.