A grand display of ineffectiveness, and arguably ineptitude, was on full display last night in the U.S. Senate as Jeanne Shaheen’s self-proclaimed “most defining piece of legislation”—an energy bill known as Shaheen-Portman—failed a cloture vote 55-36. If this failed bill is Shaheen’s “most defining piece of legislation,” it speaks volumes about her ineffective leadership for New Hampshire.
And speaking of ineffectiveness, Shaheen’s bill was tied to a vote to approve the Keystone XL pipeline—one of Mary Landrieu’s top priorities. Despite Landrieu’s position as chair of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, she was not able to cobble together a 60-vote consensus to approve the pipeline. As a result, the U.S. loses out on 40,000 jobs, more domestic energy, and a Senate that can actually accomplish something.