Slowing the flow: Natural gas is gushing out of West Texas, a byproduct of frenzied drilling for oil. And The Wall Street Journal reports that’s a problem for energy producers, who are running out of places to send it all. Pipelines running from the region’s Permian Basin to the Gulf Coast’s chemical plants, cities and export terminals are essentially full. Drillers in the Rockies and Canada already supply markets in the north and west. There is plenty of room on pipelines running south to Mexico, which has emerged as a major market for U.S. producers, but there is a catch: much of the gas distribution infrastructure and power plants there that would buy the fuel haven’t been built yet. The growing gas glut is already weighing on regional prices. Read the full story (subscription may be required).
Up for debate: The White House says it’s willing to strike a health-care provision from Senate legislation to cut taxes and overhaul the tax code if the provision becomes an impediment to passing one of President Donald Trump’s top legislative priorities. The provision would repeal a requirement that everyone in the U.S. have health insurance or pay a fine, but has emerged as a major sticking point for Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, whose vote the White House needs. Collins said Sunday that the issue should be dealt with separately. Read more.
Another allegation: A second woman says Minnesota Sen. Al Franken inappropriately touched her in 2010, telling CNN that he grabbed her buttocks while taking a photo at the Minnesota State Fair. It is the first allegation of improper touching by the Democrat while he was in office. Lindsay Menz, 33, reached out to CNN on Thursday hours after broadcaster Leeann Tweeden said Franken forcibly kissed and groped her in 2006. Menz says she wanted to share an “uncomfortable” interaction that left her feeling “gross.” Franken says he does not remember taking the photo with Menz and that he felt “badly” that she felt disrespected. Read more.
