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. Bitumen is not oil; it’s tar and is sticky like peanut butter. 2010 tar sands spill in Kalamazoo, Michigan isn’t clean yet. EPA photos from the Kalamazoo spill Tar sands oil sinks near Kalamazoo, Michigan: August 1, 2010. Source: EPA Keystone XL will go over the Ogallala Aquifer

EPA photo gallery from the tar sands spill in Mayflower, Arkansas Tar sands oil next to a home in Mayflower, Arkansas. Source: EPA   Tar sands oil flows onto a residential street in Mayflower, Arkansas. Source: EPA Another river of tar sands oil in Mayflower, Arkansas.   Tar sands oil is exempt from the oil spill fund The pipe that burst in Mayflower, Arkansas was 20 inches in diameter; Keystone XL will be 36 inches in diameter. Tar sands energy will make climate change worse James Hansen, NASA climatologist, NYT Op-Ed “Game Over For the Climate” Look how big these earth movers are! Takes a lot of carbon to operate these beasts. 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

• Rep. Nick Rahall of West Virginia
• Rep. John Kline of Minnesota
• Rep. Tom Petri of Wisconsin
• Rep. Luke Messer of Indiana

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Jennifer Briney Podcaster

Jennifer Briney started paying attention to world events while studying in Germany in the spring of 2003 when the United States overthrew the government of Iraq. After experiencing the war from outside the United States, she started asking questions about her government. Every answer led to fifty more questions. This led to a thirst for information that she is still unable to quench.

Over the years, the feeling like she was the only person paying attention to this information was making Jen insane so in late 2012, she launched Congressional Dish in order to share the information, to have an emotional outlet for dealing with the discoveries, and to create a community of people who were interested in Congress’s effect on our lives. Congressional Dish is now her full-time career, thanks entirely to the support from our growing community of producers from all over the world.