By H. JOSEF HEBERT, Associated Press Writer
Senate Republicans on Friday blocked a global warming bill that
would have required major reductions in greenhouse gases, pushing
debate over the world's biggest environmental concern to next year for
a new Congress and president.
Democratic leaders fell a dozen votes short of getting the 60 needed
to end a Republican filibuster on the measure and bring the bill up for
a vote, prompting Majority Leader Harry Reid to pull the legislation
from consideration.
The Senate debate focused on bitter disagreement over the expected
economic costs of putting a price on carbon dioxide, the leading
greenhouse gas that comes from burning fossil fuels. Opponents said it
would lead to higher energy costs.
The 48-36 vote fell short of a majority, but Democrats produced
letters from six senators — including both presidential candidates
Barack Obama and John McCain — saying they would have voted for the
measure had they been there.
"It's just the beginning for us," proclaimed Sen. Barbara Boxer,
D-Calif., a chief sponsor of the bill, noting that 54 senators had
expressed support of the legislation, although that's still short of
what would be needed to overcome concerted GOP opposition.
"It's clear a majority of Congress wants to act," Boxer said at a news conference.
She and other Democrats said this now lays the groundwork for action
on climate change next year with a new Congress and a new president
that will be more hospitable to mandatory greenhouse gas reductions.
Both Obama and McCain have called for capping carbon dioxide and
other emissions linked to climate change. President Bush has opposed
such measures and said he would have vetoed the Senate bill if he had
received it.
The bill would have capped carbon dioxide coming from power plants,
refineries and factories, with a target of cutting greenhouse gas
emissions by 71 percent by mid-century.
"It's a huge tax increase," argued Republican Senate leader Mitch
McConnell of Kentucky, a prominent coal-producing state. He maintained
that the proposed system of allowing widespread trading of carbon
emissions allowances would produce "the largest restructuring of the
American economy since the New Deal."
Supporters of the bill accused Republicans of muddying the water with misinformation.
"There is no tax increase," Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., one of the
bill's chief sponsors said. She said the emissions trading system would
provide tax relief to help people pay energy prices. And supporters
disputed that it would substantially increase gasoline prices.
Four Democrats joined most Republicans in essentially killing the bill.
Obama and McCain, as well as Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y.,
and Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., who is recovering from cancer
surgery, were absent, although they each sent a letter supporting the
bill.
