NOVEMBER 11, 2009, 10:35 A.M. ET
Climate Bill Likely on the Shelf For Rest of the Year
By IAN TALLEY
Wall Street Journal
WASHINGTON -- Key Senate Democrats Tuesday said it is unlikely there will be any more major committee action on climate-change legislation this year, the strongest indication yet that a comprehensive bill to cut greenhouse-gas emissions won't be voted on until at least next year.
Although the Senate Environment Committee last week approved a version of the bill, the proposal will face strong revisions from moderate Democrats, particularly from senators on the Finance and Agriculture committees.
"It's common understanding that climate-change legislation will not be brought up on the Senate floor and pass the Senate this year," Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus said on the sidelines of a caucus lunch.
Mr. Baucus, a Montana Democrat, said he planned to hold a number of hearings on climate legislation and eventually mark up a bill in his panel. "But I don't know that I can get a bill put together by this year, as important as climate-change legislation is," he said.
Mr. Baucus was the lone dissenting Democratic vote on the Environment Panel last week because he wanted weaker emission-reduction targets and stronger provisions to protect energy-intensive industries and encourage clean-coal technologies. Read More
With the absolute havoc that climate change legislation could bring about our country, it’s a little refreshing to see that some of our elected officials realize that this isn’t something that should be fast-tracked through Congress. It won’t do us any good to pass a bill that maybe cuts some emissions but causes many other problems. Food and energy are two big keys to our nation’s security. We have to make sure they are protected.
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