May 24, 2013
The House passed H.R. 3, a bill waiving permit requirements for the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline and passed H.R. 1911, a bill that could raise interest rates for college students while tying their rates to the market.
Links to Information in this Episode: Music:
We've Got Balls by Robin and the Giant (downloaded from Music
Alley) Congressional Dish summary of H.R.
3, the Keystone XL bill. James Hansen's warning about
Keystone XL's effect on the climate. Refineries in Texas are
hunting for business. Keystone
XL route from Canada to Texas
Canadians don't want tar sands
pipelines running through their land. [caption
id="attachment_577" align="aligncenter" width="758"]
Bitumen is not oil; it's tar and is sticky like peanut
butter.[/caption] 2010 tar sands spill in Kalamazoo, Michigan
isn't clean yet. EPA photos from the Kalamazoo spill [caption
id="attachment_578" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Tar sands oil sinks near Kalamazoo,
Michigan: August 1, 2010. Source: EPA[/caption] Keystone XL will go
over the Ogallala Aquifer
EPA photo gallery from the tar
sands spill in Mayflower, Arkansas [caption id="attachment_580"
align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Tar sands oil next to a home in
Mayflower, Arkansas. Source: EPA[/caption] [caption
id="attachment_581" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Tar sands oil flows onto a
residential street in Mayflower, Arkansas. Source: EPA[/caption]
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
Another river of tar sands oil
in Mayflower, Arkansas.[/caption] Tar sands oil is exempt from the oil
spill fund [caption id="attachment_582" align="aligncenter"
width="640"]
The pipe that burst in Mayflower,
Arkansas was 20 inches in diameter; Keystone XL will be 36 inches
in diameter.[/caption] Tar sands energy will make climate change worse
James Hansen, NASA climatologist, NYT Op-Ed "Game Over For the Climate"
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="464"]
Look how big these earth
movers are! Takes a lot of carbon to operate these
beasts.[/caption] State Department review of the Keystone
XL pipeline EPA comment saying the State
Department review isn't good enough Rail transport is not a good
option for Canadian tar sands. Keystone XL jobs are mostly temporary
Keystone XL probably won't lower gas prices Keystone
XL will not stop U.S. imports of Middle
Eastern oil Oil industry gave Keystone XL
cheerleaders in the House a LOT of money Americans are not paying attention to Keystone
XL Music: All Hail to the Market by
Alun Parry (found on Music Alley by mevio)
Congressional Dish summary of H.R.
1911, the student loan bill. Music: The Veteran by EJ Fortin (found on Music Alley by mevio)
Congressional Dish summary of H.R.
258, the bill that prohibits lying about military medals.
H.R. 1344, the "Helping Heroes Fly
Act" Congressional Dish summary of H.R.
1073, the bill that penalizes chemical attacks and attacks on
ships and gives corporations U.S. protection.
Representatives Quoted in Order of Appearance