Senators

The debate began after the Senate voted 51-50 to move ahead with the legislation. Vice President Kamala Harris broke a tie vote, with all 50 Republicans in opposition. The Senate was set to debate the bill for up to 20 hours before diving into an arduous, time-consuming amendment process called a "vote-a-rama." Democrats and Republicans were poised to reject each other's amendments, as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer maneuvered to keep a his 50-member caucus united behind a bill that was negotiated over several months. If even one Democrat were to peel off, the entire effort would be doomed in the evenly split 50-50 Senate. Earlier in the day, the Senate parliamentarian determined that the lion's share of the healthcare provisions in the $430 billion bill could be passed with only a simple majority, bypassing a filibuster rule requiring 60 votes in the 100-seat chamber to advance most legislation and enabling Democrats to pass it over Republican objections. Democrats hope … [Read more...] about Senate Democrats battle to pass $430 billion climate, drug bill

Nguyen Thi Thanh, Head of the National Assembly Standing Committee's Board for Deputy Affairs and President of the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association, leads the delegation. Following the schedule, Vietnamese delegates met a delegation of the Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Association headed by its President Men Sam An, who is also Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia. They paid courtesy calls on President of the National Assembly Samdech Heng Samrin, President of the Senate Samdech Say Chhum, and Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen. At the meeting of the two friendship associations, the sides informed each other of their operations and conditions of their respective nations. They signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation for 2022-2027. Hosted by Cambodian leaders, Thanh congratulated the nation on its recent important achievements in national development, COVID-19 response, and socio-economic recovery. She said she believes Cambodia is about to reap more successes in … [Read more...] about Trip beefs up Vietnam-Cambodia friendship, people-to-people exchange

MANILA  -- The Philippines' Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) has not produced any electricity since it was finished in 1984, despite its $2.3 billion price tag and its promise of energy security during the 1970s oil crisis. Approved by former dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., his son and new President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has revived discussions on proposals to rehabilitate the site amid the current energy crisis that has pushed prices for traditional power generating fuels coal and natural gas to records. The BNPP's potential revival is one sign of the renewed interest in nuclear power. Governments across Europe and Asia are extending their aging fleet of nuclear plants, restarting reactors and dusting off plans to resume projects shelved after the 2011 nuclear crisis in Fukushima, Japan. Both the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden and the International Energy Agency have said nuclear power is critical for countries to meet global net-zero carbon emissions goals and … [Read more...] about Analysis: Global energy crisis drives rethink of nuclear power projects