Waxman-Markey Bill Hits Delay in Senate Enviornment and Public Works Committee

The Waxman-Markey Bill will not be reviewed by the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee until September.  The original plan was for the Committee to vote on the bill before the end of August.

This delay does not foster confidence that the bill will be passed before the Copenhagen Conference in December.  Senate EPW Chairwoman, Barbara Boxer explained that senators are too focused on health care reform legislation at the moment to give the climate bill a thorough assessment.

Despite the delay Boxer is confident the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will have completed its assessment by September.  She says it will be voted on before Senator Majority Leader, Harry Reid's September 28 deadline for all six committees to have finished their work on the Waxman-Markey bill.

Boxer calmly explains this delay is not a setback:  "we don't have to rush it through.  We'll have it at the desk when Harry wants it, when the leader wants it."

The bill narrowly passed in the House, and definitely faces an uphill battle to get the 60 votes in the Senate that it requires to be passed.  Stay tuned for more information.

Read the full story at Climate Progress:  Breaking: Senate EPW panel won't take up climate bill until September--Boxer