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Graham Joins Dems, WH to Write New Climate Change Bill

November 04, 2009 2:34 PM

Wolf

A call for bipartisanship from Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham today. More from my colleague on Capitol Hill, Z. Byron Wolf:

With Republicans on the Environment Committee boycotting drafting sessions for a climate change bill, a bipartisan group announced today they would work with Senate leaders and the White House outside of the committee process to draft a separate bill.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-SC, who has come under fire from conservatives this year for his willingness to work with Democrats on Climate Change legislation, appeared with Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass, and Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-CT, at a press conference on Capitol Hill to announce the new effort.

Graham did not speak specifically to the Republican boycott in the Environment committee, but he did say more broadly of the climate change debate, "I hope Republican colleagues will at least come to the table."

Graham and Kerry outlined what a bipartisan approach should look like last month in the New York Times.

"Doing nothing has a consequence," Graham said today, pointing to authority claimed by EPA under the Clean Air Act to set rules limiting greenhouse gas emissions outside of Congressional approval. He implied that a bipartisan bill with Congressional approval would be more business friendly.

It is unclear what their bill will look like. And legislation becomes more difficult as details emerge. To wit, there was broad bipartisan agreement earlier this year that there should be health reform, but as bills evolved in Congress, deeply partisan rifts emerged.

Conspicuously absent from today's press conference was Sen. John McCain, who is very close to Graham and whose name has appeared in the past on bipartisan, but unsuccessful attempts at climate change legislation.

What shape a bipartisan climate change bill could take in the Senate is far from certain. Kerry is a co-sponsor of the bill Republicans at the Energy Committee are boycotting. It would cap carbon emissions for businesses and create a barter system for businesses who exceed their quota to trade for more carbon credits.

But Kerry would not commit today that this new bipartisan bill would build on the "cap and trade" format. And squaring the need to limit carbon emissions with a business-friendly bill will remain the crux of any legislation that can achieve 60 votes in the Senate.

"If energy policy is not good business, it'll never get 60 votes," Graham said. But he also spoke of the urgency of doing something about climate change, casting action in terms of the economy. "The green economy is coming. We can either be followers or leaders. Those who lead will make money," Graham said.

His point was that if Republicans are not engaged in the process, the Obama administration and the EPA will use existing authority to bypass Congress and regulate gas emissions.

Kerry said any legislation the group develops will be done on a "dual track" with bills written by the six Senate Committees that also have jurisdiction.

"We will be working very very closely with the administration and fully respectful of all of the efforts made by each individual committee with jurisdiction in this area," said Kerry.

Kerry, Lieberman and Graham met today with Energy Secretary Steven Chu and also have meetings scheduled with Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Carol Browner, who is the top White House Policy staffer (nee czar) on the issue of climate change.

"Our effort is to reach out to broaden the base of support beyond the six committees of jurisdiction," said Kerry.

November 4, 2009 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (21)

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"Democrat Sen. John Kerry, R-Mass"

Oops.

Posted by: The1337 | Nov 4, 2009 2:40:52 PM

Graham needs to go.

Graham, Newt, Al Sharpton & Dede Scozzafava can all go on a rainbow tour of "moderation" to lecture America on how to bring about financial ruin.

Cap n Trade is the single biggest scam in the history of government.

Posted by: samadams | Nov 4, 2009 2:52:10 PM

And I thought the Social Security "Trust Fund" was the biggest scam.

Posted by: s | Nov 4, 2009 2:58:30 PM

The way the story is told seems to say that whatever legislation is passed, good or bad it really doesn't matter as the epa and President can do as they wish anyway.

Does anyone besides me think that the people and the elected officials need a bigger say and that their power should trump a few selected epa officials?

Posted by: david | Nov 4, 2009 3:25:00 PM

I can see Lindsay Graham being driven from the party by idealogues for daring not to stray from purist conservative group-think ideas..

Posted by: indy_voter | Nov 4, 2009 3:59:06 PM

"Cap n Trade is the single biggest scam in the history of government"

I thought Medicare was the single biggest scam in the history of government.

Or was it Social Security?

Or was it the minimum wage?

Or was it the 40-hour work week?

Or was it civil rights?

One thing about conservatives - one thing never changes. They're always wrong.

Posted by: OB-Wan222 | Nov 4, 2009 6:17:52 PM

Remember when daylight savings time was first used and the farmers were all worried that their crops could not stand another hour of sunshine every day. Well you cant fool mother nature and the earth is not flat.

Posted by: earl | Nov 4, 2009 6:29:55 PM

"Graham needs to go."

Right because he's such a left-wing liberal. I love it! The piranha are loose in the Rep gene-pool and no one is safe.

Isn't it great? The cons are the ones that are always comparing Dems to socialist and here they are starting a purge that would make Stalin or Mao proud.

Make way for the Republican version of the Cultural Revolution. Graham, Crist and Hutchinson had better get themselves to a re-indoctrination center before they're accused of being enemies of the Party.

I'll bet they've even forgotten that their great god Reagan was once a conservative Democrat.

Posted by: OB-Wan222 | Nov 4, 2009 7:00:52 PM

The government has a grim history of running things, they all seem to go broke!

With a debt of $12 trillion expected to double by 2019 based upon Obama's budgets, one can clearly see that no-one including Graham plan to do anything about the debt.

The CBO says the current debt level is unsustainable, so I must ask are Obama and his minions in congress stupid or are they on some sinister plan to crash the dollar and welcome in the era of the USSA? The answer is one, or the other, there is no middle ground.

Posted by: Ed Taylor | Nov 4, 2009 7:20:29 PM

"The CBO says the current debt level is unsustainable..."

Actually your quote is incomplete and therefore inaccurate. What the CBO director really said was "UNDER CURRENT LAW, the federal budget is on an unsustainable path...'

Which means that health care reform, revenue increases and other changes are necessary to prevent budget pressures from exceeding economic growth.

So you see efforts by Obama and Congress to change the current system are the only ways to PREVENT more economic woes. Your own evidence proves that.

Posted by: OB-Wan222 | Nov 4, 2009 7:37:07 PM

Cap and Tax is a scam meant to steal money from all households.....Graham needs to go, not because he is supposedly not acting like a republican whatever that means, but because he is behaving like a crook. I live in Grahams voting district---refused to vote for him last time, but am not so mad at him that I am actively working to get him tossed out. Pretty much any pol voting for this energy tax scam is working to steal money so hence I suggest that if you have a pol (no matter the party) trying to rob from you and your family that you work to remove them.

Posted by: VeryPainfulTruth | Nov 4, 2009 8:39:18 PM

When several scientists that say global warming is not man made tried to testify in Congress, they were denied...they only wanted to listen to Gore!

This is the biggest scam committed upon the world and to deny listening to opposite view points is a tragedy.

This is all about transferring our wealth to 3rd world countries, via the U.N.!

You better wake up, because while China is going around the world for oil, coal, minerals we are sitting here with our thumb up our keister!

You think job loss is bad now? Just wait!

If drilling for oil is so bad, why did Obama just loan Brazil billions to them so they can have jobs and resources?

Posted by: bobc | Nov 5, 2009 8:26:37 AM

I agree- Lindsey Graham needs to go....

Posted by: LDAV46 | Nov 5, 2009 8:26:59 AM

OB-Wan222, Seems to be suffering from an overdose of the Kool-Aid.

Lindsey Graham will be replaced by a true conservative next election.

Posted by: Johnny L | Nov 5, 2009 8:29:50 AM

One thing about Democrats, no matter how many times that they are shown to be wrong, the only thing you will ever hear is that we didn't let them go far enought to be right.
We are all in the toilet, and all we hear is that the debt should be bigger.

Posted by: RLA | Nov 5, 2009 12:34:28 PM

Ha, ha, ha. You fools in South Carolina voted this Rino in for another SIX LONG YEARS. ENJOY.

Posted by: Bobby | Nov 5, 2009 3:42:21 PM

OB-WAN 222 "What the CBO director really said was "UNDER CURRENT LAW, the federal budget is on an unsustainable path...'
Which means that health care reform, revenue increases and other changes are necessary to prevent budget pressures from exceeding economic growth."----------

Hummmmm .... Let me get this straight.. We are spending our way to oblivion and you believe the answer is to spend more??? Letsw change the rules ot take MORE taxes from people.. the problem is not too much spending, its not enough taxation??? Are you kidding???

Tell me - What part of the constitution specifies that the government's job is to take money FROM people who legally earn it - to give to to other citizens??

Wealth redistribution IS communism.. If you want it, move to Russia...

Posted by: arkievet | Nov 5, 2009 3:56:22 PM

Nothing but crooks trying to take more money from us.....

Posted by: suchajoke | Nov 5, 2009 5:09:57 PM

Graham is a fool. He's chasing the market by signing on to the climate change band wagon as it's unraveling. Not very bright.

Americans have zero appetite for this kind of heavy-handed legislation that will increase the price of everything with absolutely no intrinsic or physical benefit to anyone. Other than Generation Investment Management, that is.

Posted by: Woody | Nov 5, 2009 9:11:59 PM

Lindsey "Scuzzy" Graham is a persona friend and these attacks are unjustified.

If it keeps up, we may make Graham up some special Czar slot. He is a valuable ally in our war on prosperity

Posted by: Axe | Nov 7, 2009 11:09:36 AM

Now Grahamnesty wants to tax us into obilvion AFTER raising taxes to give his beloved illegal immigrants health care... Hey SC, are you SURE he is a Republican? You may want to vote his butt OUT NOW!!!

Posted by: jafo | Nov 8, 2009 4:35:55 PM

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