Paul Kirby reports in the Daily Freeman that local Democrats and Republicans in Congress voted on opposite sides on a bill March 30 that would lower energy costs and hasten global warming, leading to more costs later. But it was all just Congressional theatre, as the bill is unlikely to pass the Democratically-controlled Senate, or be signed by President Joe Biden. The Lower Energy Costs Act would increase domestic production of oil, natural gas and coal, and ease permitting restrictions that delay pipelines, refineries and other projects, and hasten global warming by increasing pollutants. Local Democrats Paul Tonko and Pat Ryan voted against the bill, and Republicans Marc Molinaro and Elise Stefanik voted against the measure, which passed 225-to-204 in the House of Representatives. New York Senator Chuck Schumer called it “dead on arrival.” Ryan said, “My community has a long and well-documented history of big corporations dumping toxic pollutants, particularly PFAS, in our waterways.... And while there are many reasons I oppose this bill, I rise today to speak on this aspect in particular.“ Molinaro said, “The historic legislation, which passed with bipartisan support, lowers energy costs for Upstate New York families by increasing domestic energy production, reforming the United States’ broken permitting process, and streamlining new energy projects, including renewable energy projects.” Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.