Senate Drops Plans for Climate Bill; Will Move Forward with Limited Energy Legislation

On July 22, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced that Democrats in the Senate would not pursue comprehensive climate legislation before the August recess, instead focusing on a more limited energy bill with provisions targeting the oil spill. Reid attributed the decision to not having the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster on the Senate floor. Following a private meeting with the 59 Senate Democrats, he said, "I had to make a decision . . . . We know we don't have the votes."

Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), who with Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) released draft legislation in May that would create an economywide cap and trade program, acknowledged the lack of Republican support as a primary factor. "We've always known from Day One that to pass comprehensive energy reform you've got to have 60 votes," he said. "As we stand here today we don't have one Republican vote."

Reid said next week the Senate will take up a new bill that will likely focus on holding oil company BP PLC responsible for the Gulf spill, as well as ways to improve energy efficiency, boost incentives for natural gas vehicles and increase spending on land and water conservation. Kerry noted the legislation is “admittedly narrow.” Speaking for the Obama administration, Carol Browner, the president’s adviser on energy and climate change, pledged to carry on efforts to address climate change. "We will continue to use all of the tools available to us to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," she said, referring to the Environmental Protection Agency regulations that are scheduled to go into effect in January 2011. "The president believes in the science, he believes in the Supreme Court decision, and we will continue to move forward."

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