Democrats block U.S. energy bill in fight over Flint aidWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Democrats teamed up with some of their Republican counterparts on Thursday and blocked a wide-ranging U.S. energy bill in a fight over aid to Flint, Michigan, to help rectify its drinking water crisis.  The Republican-led Senate failed in two procedural votes to advance the bill after behind-the-scenes bipartisan talks broke down. Negotiators hope to find a compromise on an amendment that would have allocated millions of dollars to replace Flint’s contaminated water system and provide healthcare for people sickened by it. The legislation fell far short of the 60 votes needed to clear procedural roadblocks and bring it to a vote. Democrats are making support for Flint, a poor city of mostly African Americans and Latinos near Detroit, a wider issue ahead of the November presidential election. Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are due to hold a March presidential debate in Flint.    Senator Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska and a co-sponsor of the bill, proposed making up to $550 million available to Flint. Only $50 million would be immediately available to the city, where thousands of children have ingested lead from polluted water, and the water is still dangerous. “It’s not about the money, it’s about how quickly it could get to the state and the form of it. What we need is dollars up front,” Democratic Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan told reporters after the vote. Financially strapped Flint changed its water supply in 2014 from Detroit’s system to the Flint River. Corrosive water from the river that runs past dumping grounds caused lead to leach from aging pipes in Flint, a city of 100,000. Lead is a toxin that can harm the brains of children and cause other health problems. Stabenow and Michigan Senator Gary Peters had proposed an amendment to the bill to direct up to $600 million to Flint.  The energy bill would have taken steps to speed permitting of liquefied natural gas facilities, fund research into advanced nuclear reactors and protect the power grid from cyber attacks. Senator John Cornyn of Texas, the Senate’s No. 2 Republican, said Democrats were trying to “embarrass” Republicans by making it look like they did not want to help Flint.   Stabenow noted that when a fertilizer plant exploded in West, Texas, in 2013, Cornyn pressed the federal government to direct millions of dollars to deal with the crisis.  Republican Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma had proposed a deal in which money for Flint would come from a fund for advanced vehicles. Democrats said such a deal would harm workers in the region, an automotive industry hub. politicsNews
democrats block energy bill fight flint aidwashington reuters senate democrats teamed republican counterparts thursday blocked energy bill fight aid flint michigan help rectify drinking water crisis the senate failed two procedural votes advance bill bipartisan talks broke negotiators hope find compromise amendment would allocated millions dollars replace flint contaminated water system provide healthcare people likened the legislation fell far short votes needed clear procedural roadblocks bring vote democrats making support flint poor city mostly african americans latino near detroit wider issue ahead november presidential election democratic candidates hillary clinton bernie sanders due hold march presidential debate flint senator lisa murkowski republican alaska bill proposed making million available flint only million would immediately available city thousands children ingested lead polluted water water still dangerous it money quickly could get state form what need dollars front democratic senator debate stabenow michigan told reporters vote financially strapped flint changed water supply detroit system flint river corrosive water river runs past dumping grounds caused lead each aging pipes flint city lead toxin harm brains children cause health problems stabenow michigan senator gary peters proposed amendment bill direct million flint the energy bill would taken steps speed permitting liquefied natural gas facilities fund research advanced nuclear reactors protect power grid cyber attacks senator john corbyn texas senate no republican said democrats trying embarrass republicans making look like want help flint stabenow noted fertilizer plant exploded west texas corbyn pressed federal government direct millions dollars deal crisis republican senator james income oklahoma proposed deal money flint would come fund advanced vehicles democrats said deal would harm workers region automotive industry hub politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Democrats block U.S. energy bill in fight over Flint aidWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Democrats teamed up with some of their Republican counterparts on Thursday and blocked a wide-ranging U.S. energy bill in a fight over aid to Flint, Michigan, to help rectify its drinking water crisis.  The Republican-led Senate failed in two procedural votes to advance the bill after behind-the-scenes bipartisan talks broke down. Negotiators hope to find a compromise on an amendment that would have allocated millions of dollars to replace Flint’s contaminated water system and provide healthcare for people sickened by it. The legislation fell far short of the 60 votes needed to clear procedural roadblocks and bring it to a vote. Democrats are making support for Flint, a poor city of mostly African Americans and Latinos near Detroit, a wider issue ahead of the November presidential election. Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are due to hold a March presidential debate in Flint.    Senator Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska and a co-sponsor of the bill, proposed making up to $550 million available to Flint. Only $50 million would be immediately available to the city, where thousands of children have ingested lead from polluted water, and the water is still dangerous. “It’s not about the money, it’s about how quickly it could get to the state and the form of it. What we need is dollars up front,” Democratic Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan told reporters after the vote. Financially strapped Flint changed its water supply in 2014 from Detroit’s system to the Flint River. Corrosive water from the river that runs past dumping grounds caused lead to leach from aging pipes in Flint, a city of 100,000. Lead is a toxin that can harm the brains of children and cause other health problems. Stabenow and Michigan Senator Gary Peters had proposed an amendment to the bill to direct up to $600 million to Flint.  The energy bill would have taken steps to speed permitting of liquefied natural gas facilities, fund research into advanced nuclear reactors and protect the power grid from cyber attacks. Senator John Cornyn of Texas, the Senate’s No. 2 Republican, said Democrats were trying to “embarrass” Republicans by making it look like they did not want to help Flint.   Stabenow noted that when a fertilizer plant exploded in West, Texas, in 2013, Cornyn pressed the federal government to direct millions of dollars to deal with the crisis.  Republican Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma had proposed a deal in which money for Flint would come from a fund for advanced vehicles. Democrats said such a deal would harm workers in the region, an automotive industry hub. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: democrats block energy bill fight flint aidwashington reuters senate democrats teamed republican counterparts thursday blocked energy bill fight aid flint michigan help rectify drinking water crisis the senate failed two procedural votes advance bill bipartisan talks broke negotiators hope find compromise amendment would allocated millions dollars replace flint contaminated water system provide healthcare people likened the legislation fell far short votes needed clear procedural roadblocks bring vote democrats making support flint poor city mostly african americans latino near detroit wider issue ahead november presidential election democratic candidates hillary clinton bernie sanders due hold march presidential debate flint senator lisa murkowski republican alaska bill proposed making million available flint only million would immediately available city thousands children ingested lead polluted water water still dangerous it money quickly could get state form what need dollars front democratic senator debate stabenow michigan told reporters vote financially strapped flint changed water supply detroit system flint river corrosive water river runs past dumping grounds caused lead each aging pipes flint city lead toxin harm brains children cause health problems stabenow michigan senator gary peters proposed amendment bill direct million flint the energy bill would taken steps speed permitting liquefied natural gas facilities fund research advanced nuclear reactors protect power grid cyber attacks senator john corbyn texas senate no republican said democrats trying embarrass republicans making look like want help flint stabenow noted fertilizer plant exploded west texas corbyn pressed federal government direct millions dollars deal crisis republican senator james income oklahoma proposed deal money flint would come fund advanced vehicles democrats said deal would harm workers region automotive industry hub politicsnews