Things that make you go ... Hmmmm ...
"Never waste a good crisis" - Hillary Clinton
US senators to unveil climate bill
May 07, 2010
Two US senators announced they will unveil long-stalled legislation Wednesday to set up the first nationwide plan to fight climate change, despite a key Republican's withdrawal from their effort.
Democratic Senator John Kerry and Independent Senator Joe Lieberman predicted in a joint statement Friday that they would win back Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and pass the sweeping bill this year.
"We look forward to rolling-out the legislation next Wednesday and passing the legislation with the support of Senator Graham and other Republicans, Democrats and Independents this year," said Kerry and Lieberman.
Plans for acting on the climate bill were thrown into confusion over a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, which fed new opposition to expanded offshore drilling, a key component of the Kerry-Lieberman approach.
The pair, who did not refer directly to the catastrophe, said they were confident they would secure the 60 votes needed to ensure passage and overcome any parliamentary delaying tactics.
"We are more encouraged today that we can secure the necessary votes to pass this legislation this year," they said.
"The last weeks have given everyone with a stake in this issue a heightened understanding that as a nation, we can no longer wait to solve this problem which threatens our economy, our security and our environment.
"Our optimism is bolstered because there is a growing and unprecedented bipartisan coalition from the business, national security, faith and environmental communities that supports our legislation and is energized to work hard and get it passed," said Kerry and Lieberman.
AFP
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Key US senator: climate bill progress impossible
May 07, 2010
A key US senator said Friday that action on legislation to fight climate change was "impossible" for now because of fierce new opposition to offshore drilling after the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
"I believe it would be wise to pause the process and reassess where we stand," Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said, pouring cold water on predictions that he would eventually support the bill.
Graham withdrew two weeks ago from discussions with Democratic Senator John Kerry and Independent Senator Joe Lieberman aimed at crafting a compromise bill to battle greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming.
At the time, he cited Democratic plans to move forward on legislation to overhaul US immigration policy, accusing President Barack Obama's allies of rushing on that front purely for political gain in November mid-term elections.
"In addition to immigration, we now have to deal with a catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico which creates new policy and political challenges not envisioned in our original discussions," Graham said Friday.
The senator, who represents South Carolina, warned that growing Democratic opposition to offshore drilling following the catastrophe imperilled the climate legislation's political future.
"When it comes to getting 60 votes for legislation that includes additional oil and gas drilling with revenue sharing, the climb has gotten steeper because of the oil spill," he said. "There are not nearly 60 votes today."
"We should move forward in a reasoned, thoughtful manner and in a political climate which gives us the best chance at success. Regrettably, in my view, this has become impossible in the current environment," he said.
His comments seemed to refute Kerry's recent assertion that Graham would eventually back the legislation even if he was no longer part of the talks.
"A serious debate on energy legislation is significantly compromised with the cynical politics of comprehensive immigration reform hanging over the Senate," said Graham, a key player on both issues.
Graham said that he disagreed with colleagues who reacted to the spill by saying that a climate change bill was "dead on arrival" if it included an expansion of offshore drilling, seen as a key vote-getter for the proposal.
AFP
