Climate Bill Limps Forward
A draft version of a Senate bill that would limit greenhouse gas emissions is unveiled today.
Kevin Bullis 09/30/2009
- 8 Comments
A draft of the Senate's version of a climate bill has been released. The official version is scheduled to be unveiled officially today in the Senate.
The move comes on the heels of President Obama's speech to the United Nations in which he called for action on climate change. A House climate bill passed back in May, but since then climate change has taken a back seat to health care reform. There's been some concern that no climate change legislation will be passed before a meeting in Copenhagen this December where world leaders are supposed to work out a new climate change treaty. With no law in hand, U.S. negotiators may find it hard to sell other countries on strict emissions reductions.
The draft bill tightens emissions caps somewhat compared to the House bill, calling for a 20 percent reduction in emissions by 2020 compared to 2005 levels, rather than a 17 percent reduction. It also contains sections devoted to reducing emissions specifically from transportation sources, as well as incentives for emissions reducing technology such as carbon capture and sequestration, nuclear power plants, and renewable energy.
But much work remains before the bill can become law. For example, some parts of the bill have only placeholder language, awaiting action from committees. Nevertheless, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has reportedly said that the bill is on track to be passed by the Senate before the Copenhagen meeting. That's not to say it will become law by then, of course, as it will still have to be reconciled with the House Bill.



kstauff
130 Comments
Heh, Reid
I expect Reid, who once claimed that we had lost in Iraq, to claim the bill will be passed. Wishful thinking from a man who may not be in the Senate a year and a half from now.
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jrd1415
6 Comments
Re: Heh, Reid
"...Reid, who once claimed that we had lost in Iraq..."
The US "lost" 4,300+ dead soldiers; "lost" an estimated 100,000 wounded, 30,000 severely, as in brain damage and amputated limbs; "lost" a trillion dollars up front, with a couple trillion more in likely follow-on losses; traded (ie "lost") a prostrate and helpless secular Iraq for a momentarily-coerced-into-acquiescience, Shia-dominated, Iran-friendly Iraq, where upcoming elections will bring to power a decidedly anti-American theocratic-inclined coalition government -- with Muqtada al Sadr prominent -- which will tell the US to "Get the fuck out! Now! Every last one of you!"
All of these losses plus no oil, no bases, and a nascent unified, nuclear, super rich, Iraq-allied-with-Iran regional super state.
"Mission Accomplished" indeed!
This is victory? Only to a right-wing, Bush partisan, surge-believing, neo-conned Kool-aid guzzler.
Bush/Cheney engineered a comprehensive and catastrophic defeat in Iraq. Get over it. Bin Laden has won. Painful to hear? Too damn bad. Get over that, as well.
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kstauff
130 Comments
Re: Heh, Reid
LOL. This is hardly germane to the subject at hand, but if it makes you feel better, whatever.
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