Energy Bill Blocked by 1 Vote

Senate Democrats today failed by one vote to advance a broad energy bill that would have increased mileage standards to 35mpg by 2020. The sticking point for Republicans was  $21 billion in new taxes, mostly on oil companies, the New York Times reports. The vote to invoke cloture scored 59 votes in favor, one short of the 60 needed to block a Republican filibuster.

Majority Leader Harry Reid argued before the vote that the bill would “start putting America on the path to a cleaner, safer and more affordable energy future.” Afterward, he said the new taxes would be excised from the bill to move it forward. (More Harry Reid stories.)