Greenwire (subs. req’d) reports:
Senate Environment and Public Works Chairwoman Barbara Boxer said today that she would delay until September the markup of a comprehensive global warming bill.
The California Democrat told reporters that many senators are focused this month on health care reform legislation, prompting the delay from her original plan to hold a vote before the August recess.
“We don’t have to rush it through,” Boxer said. “We’ll do it as soon as we get back, and we’ll have it at the desk when Harry wants it, when the leader wants it.”
Boxer was referring to the new Sept. 28 deadline set by Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) for all six Senate committees to complete work on the climate bill. Senate Democrats are still trying to pass the climate legislation before December, when U.N. climate negotiations continue in Copenhagen. But sponsors face an uphill climb to win over 60 votes, given steady opposition from Republicans and moderate and conservative Democrats.
No question about that. I’ll post the Senate fence-sitters discussion shortly.
As I’ve always said, this bill is not going to make it to Obama’s desk this year — nor should it. Right now, it’s not even clear the Senate will pass its version this year, although it probably will. Boxer notes:
Asked if the change in markup plans threatens prospects for Senate passage this year, Boxer replied, “We’ll be in until Christmas, so I’m not worried about it.”
Boxer also said she would probably wait until September to release her climate legislation, a change from the schedule that her aides said could entail a bill out within the next two weeks.
As for legislative details, Boxer said the Environment and Public Works Committee and the Finance Committee would write provisions detailing distribution of valuable emission allowances.
“At the end of the day, as you know, all the bills will be merged,” Boxer said.
Reid has said he wants to hold a climate debate on the floor by October, though he is also juggling health care and federal appeals court Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination to the Supreme Court.
I’m not certain why the debate needs to be held by October. Probably the most important thing is that Obama announced some sort of China deal first and do some major barnstorming including a prime time speech.
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Joe,
Earlier in the year you have repeated that the Obama administration could get a better climate bill in 2010. How is that given that 2010 will be mid-term elections? Won’t Democratic party politicians from coal states and ag states be trying to downplay climate legislation inspite of high poll numbers indicating that the public supports strong climate legislation to get campaign contributions from these two powerful lobby groups?
Jim Hansen, NASA GISS, writes:
“With a workable climate bill in his pocket, President Obama might have been able to begin building that global consensus in Italy. Instead, it looks as if the delegates from other nations may have done what 219 U.S. House members who voted up Waxman-Markey last month did not: critically read the 1,400-page American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 and deduce that it’s no more fit to rescue our climate than a V-2 rocket was to land a man on the moon.”
From the Huffington Post 07/09/09
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ dr-james-hansen/ g-8-failure-reflects-us-f_b_228597.html
Congress may further delay bill, but CO2 just keeps going up with total disregard of Congress.
CO2 levels are 390.18 measured for May 09. June is not out yet.
Maybe we should start a pool for guessing the CO2 number when the bill is passed and signed.
Hmmm September might be 393.0
http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/trends/
http://co2now.org/
I wouldn’t count on the Senate to do the right thing. After all, WWII may have been avoided if the senate hadn’t torpedoed Woodrow Wilson’s League of Nations Plan. We should have a plan B but I think it was Al Gore who said there’s no plan B.
To some this may be insignificant but thanks for the new format. These older eyes were really struggling before but the content was so important I plowed ahead squinting and straining. Thank you.
What David Freeman wrote.
Even ten years ago, if I had suggested that the majority party’s proposed bill would be withheld from the minority party two hours from the vote — and then one copy was grudgingly provided, to be shared by all 435 Representatives , you would have looked at me like I was a crazy person…….
Well that’s exactly what happened two weeks ago Friday when Congress voted on and passed the infamous HR 2454 Cap and Trade/Carbon Emissions Bill. Final vote: 219 Yea, 212 Nay. A little after 3 am on that very same day a 300 page amendment was added to the original 900+ pages. This is the longest suicide note in history and will further hasten our downward economic spiral. The Senate looks to debate it this Fall where it will likely get nowhere. Friday’s vote may have been a gift to the POTUS for the upcoming UN meeting knowing there’s little chance of it getting thru the Senate. Before Friday’s vote I made my feelings known to our Democratic Congressman. I see he voted No but I’ve no idea what his real motivation was. Some that voted Yes received calls 20:1 urging a No vote and they still voted Yes.
This is about more than just higher electricity rates. It’s a massive redistribution of wealth, further limits our freedoms all under the guise of reducing an essential trace greenhouse gas, and does next to nil for energy independence. This Manmade Global Warming/Climate Change House Of Cards is tumbling down. Every week more and more new contrary evidence is seeing the light of day. The Mainstream Media won’t report it, but this vital information is getting out to those that want honest debate on this important issue.
Looking past the Senate this Fall we have the December Copenhagen UN meeting on a new Global Warming Treaty. Remember the Kyoto Treaty? Well you ain’t seen nothing yet. I shudder to think what the U.S. delegation would love to commit us to for years or decades forward. Lastly there’s the EPA waiting in the wings to regulate all things CO2. Recently a leaked string of internal EPA e-mails detailed suppression of evidence that undermines the CO2 argument. Many derided the career EPA employee as not being a climatologist. Well Mr. Carlin has a physics degree. Al Gore is no climatologist or scientist but he’s allowed to testify before Congress on this issue. Madness!
Remember Friday’s vote, because if this horror show is implemented on the American public it will blow up in our face as it has in every country this has been tried. At what cost in dollars and individual freedoms? Mark your calendar in RED, because that is the path we are heading toward. Contact your Senators and ask them if they’re prepared to defend a Yes vote for this misguided Bill. Let them know a NO Vote will ensure your support next election cycle.
What happens if or when Sen. Kennedy or Byrd dies? Both are out of the office, extremely ill. I hate to sound callous, but with the planet’s fate riding on this bill…do you think that Boxer is hoping to get their replacements in and voting first…?
Jo, you say that the Senate shouldn’t rush with the climate bill, that by next year it will be able to provide a stronger one. That’s probably true, and if only considering internal US politics I’d agree. But what about the importance of having a more-or-less done bill in time for Copenhagen? Developing nations are likely to place more significance in the fact that there is *a* bill, rather than on its details.
Isn’t it a little like your support of Waxman-Markey – it doesn’t really answer the scientific requirements, but the alternative is nothing at all.
metnav — Politics isn’t pretty. At least senators don’t atttack each other with canes anymore…
Seriously, W-M is what we have and it needs to be passed ASAP. Then we can all start work on a stronger version. Won’t be easy, but made easier by already having W-M enacted.
Do I have this straight…
The big issue isn’t the yea/nay vote on the bill, but cloture to kill the filibuster, correct?
If enough senators follow Sherrod Brown’s declaration that he will vote for cloture, this bill should be passed.