Senate leaders working on climate bill

Bill requires 60 votes

Steve Hawley, Jul 10, 09.

Senate leaders are working on their own version of a climate change bill, hoping to draw in the 60 votes needed to overcome an expected filibuster, according to the New York Times. The House passed its version of the bill with a close vote last month.

Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada hopes to have a bill on the Senate floor by early October, according to the article. Proponents will have to get at least 60 votes to overcome an expected filibuster. The article notes that since 2001, the Senate has debated three bills to cap greenhouse gases, but non received more than 48 votes.

Some senators are concerned that the bill might not adequately protect the manufacturing sector, while others are concerned that the bill passed by the House set its standards too low. A number of committees are expected to help craft the bill, including Agriculture, Commerce, Energy and Natural Resources, Environment and Public Works, Finance, and Foreign Relations. According to Politico, Sen. Reid has extended the markup deadline by 10 days to September 28.

However, proponents are cautiously optimistic that the bill will get at least 60 votes. Sen. Charles Schumer or New York said, “Don’t know [how]. But I believe we’ll get there.” Several key moderates from both parties have raised objections to the bill but have not ruled out voting for it. It is also possible that some could vote for cloture, ending the filibuster, but then vote against the final bill. Once cloture has been achieved, the bill only needs 51 votes for passage.