Today, Senator Reid, followed Obama in calling for passing the comprehensive climate change bill

[karynnj]

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senators John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), authors of the American Power Act, today released a joint statement applauding Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) for calling on key Senate Chairmen to strengthen and pass comprehensive energy independence and climate change legislation this year:



“Today, Majority Leader Reid expressed his unwavering commitment to comprehensive legislation to address the nation’s energy challenges, just a day after President Obama once again called for Senate action on a comprehensive climate and energy bill. The disaster in the Gulf has intensified the feeling of urgency on all sides, and Senator Reid’s letter is crystal clear that he expects the Senate to step up to the challenge this year. The time is ripe for action on the American Power Act. Our approach creates 200,000 jobs a year, all while reducing our oil dependence by 40 percent. We look forward to working with the Leader and the White House to continue to strengthen our legislation and make this the year for Senate action.”

http://kerry.senate.gov/cfm/record.cfm?id=325454

[Inuca]

1. Fingers crossed

It's not going to be easy, but at least it looks more hopeful than just a shoprt time ago.

[karynnj]

2. Same here - it really looks like they are trying to create some momentum

before the return to Washington next week.

Some one posted that in Virgina, religious organizations are lobbying their Senators. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4411278&mesg_id=4411278

[Mass]

3. I would remain cautious. The fact is that Jim Manley made very clear that this could mean anything.

As far as I can see, Reid did not call for "a comprehensive climate change bill", and clearly, he did not talk about fixing limits for carbon or any mechanism to limit carbon (whether it is a carbon tax or cap and trade) and has made a lot of noises that should make us be prudent.

This could very well describe Bingaman's bill, or something else.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-06-03/reid-plans-to-bring-up-clean-energy-bill-next-month-update1-.html

Today’s letter is “largely in response to the situation in the Gulf,” and whether Kerry and Lieberman’s climate-change plan will be part of the legislation is “still to be addressed,” Jim Manley, Reid’s spokesman, said in an e-mail.

A bill should include changes to the law to ensure “swift and fair compensation” for the victims of the Gulf spill and safety proposals “to reduce the risks of such a catastrophe from happening again,” Reid said in the letter.
It should also boost the production of “clean and renewable alternative fuels” so the U.S. can “kick the oil habit as soon as possible,” he said.

More here

Committee leaders Max Baucus, Jeff Bingaman, Barbara Boxer, Chris Dodd, Patrick Leahy, Joe Lieberman, Blanche Lincoln and John Rockefeller all received the majority leader's letter and have been asked to contribute their ideas to developing a blue print for a comprehensive bill.
But Reid's call for a new comprehensive energy bill likely will have repercussions on other pending legislation — including a climate bill championed by Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.).

...
Kerry and Lieberman were quick to praise Reid for an "unwavering commitment to comprehensive legislation." But by asking other top Democrats to begin work independent of the bill Kerry and Lieberman worked on for more than a year, Reid clearly is exploring other approaches to a sweeping energy plan.



Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0610/38095.html#ixzz0ppXoZgrl
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0610/38095.html#ixzz0ppXZkMSr

[Cha]

4. Thanks karyn..Rec~