Senate EPW panel won’t take up climate bill until September — Boxer
Darren Samuelsohn, E&E senior reporter
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.
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.
Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), the ranking member of the EPW Committee, said today that with the delay in the Senate “the public should expect more arm-twisting and backroom deals — or, in other words, more business as usual in Washington.
“The American public can rest assured that I will be here, as I have done over the past 10 years, to expose the details of this devastating bill every step of the way,” Inhofe said.
