Tuesday, March 2, 2010 5:30 PM
Climate Trio Courts Moderate Democrats
By Amy Harder, NationalJournal.com
After meeting today with roughly a dozen senators -- mostly moderate Democrats and two Republicans -- Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., signaled cautious optimism about attracting support for the climate and energy bill he and Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Joe Lieberman, I/D-Conn., are drafting.
"They have concerns, they expressed them, but they weren't concerns that... we can't address," Kerry said. Graham said earlier today that it would be "weeks" before they release a bill.
The only two GOP senators present were Graham and George Voinovich of Ohio, who said this was his first time meeting with the trio on the climate proposal. Democrats at the meeting included many moderates who are seen as key to getting 60 votes, including Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus of Montana, Tom Carper of Delaware, Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Mark Warner of Virginia and Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico.
Baucus described the meeting as "refreshing" and said he saw "potential" but wouldn't elaborate beyond that. Warner was a bit more cautious, saying only that the meeting was "interesting." When asked whether he could support the trio's proposal, he replied, "Time will tell."
Voinovich reiterated his support for forging an energy-only bill like the one approved by the Energy and Natural Resources Committee last year. But he said he is willing to listen and learn more about the details of the trio's bill. The draft proposal regulates different parts of the economy -- such as utilities, manufacturing and transportation -- in different ways and at different times. "I think some may be receptive of doing it for the energy sector," Voinovich said. But, he said, the fewer industries the bill regulates, the better its chances of passage.
Despite the fact that he was the only Republican at the meeting other than Graham, Voinovich said he was not discouraged about the prospects for bipartisan cooperation.
Darren Goode contributed to this report.
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