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U.S. Senate Blocks Global Warming Bill

WASHINGTON (AP) -- 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-California, a chief sponsor of the bill in the Senate, 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.

Read the full report from CNN:   

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/06/06/senate.climate.ap/index.html

From the League of Conservation Voters:  http://www.lcv.org/

This is a missed opportunity for 2008 and one that will come back to haunt the minority of Senators who sided with Big Oil and Dirty Coal by refusing to break the filibuster, refusing to help families struggling with ever-increasing gas prices.

From Environmental Defense:  http://www.edf.org/home.cfm

While a set back in our efforts to pass global warming legislation this year, the broader perspective is very positive.

With the 48 yes votes on the floor plus another six written statements of support from Senators who were not present, the total number of supporters was 54. Only 36 Senators voted to keep the filibuster going.

Here is the complete voting record, prepared by ECI, who were in favor of the global warming bil:  http://christiansandclimate.org/

YEAs ---48 (for global warming bill)
Akaka (D-HI)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cardin (D-MD)
Carper (D-DE)
Casey (D-PA)
Collins (R-ME)
Dodd (D-CT)
Dole (R-NC)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Harkin (D-IA) Inouye (D-HI)
Kerry (D-MA)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Kohl (D-WI)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (ID-CT)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Martinez (R-FL)
McCaskill (D-MO)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Salazar (D-CO)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schumer (D-NY)
Smith (R-OR)
Snowe (R-ME)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Sununu (R-NH)
Tester (D-MT)
Warner (R-VA)
Webb (D-VA)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)