The chances of a climate and energy bill passing in 2010 -- or even in the next few years -- are diminishing given the lack of strong bipartisan support, a top adviser to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Wednesday.

"It's unclear whether there will be bipartisan support," Chris Miller, the Nevada Democrat's senior policy adviser on energy and climate, said at a conference sponsored by the Blue Green Alliance. "The only chance we have to get it done this year is to make sure it's bipartisan."

Miller went on to say that Democrats have "seen little to any real interest in public engagement by very many Republicans." He named only two senators on the other side of the aisle who have been active in the process: Susan Collins, R-Maine, who has introduced a bill with Maria Cantwell, D-Wash.; and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who has withdrawn from climate negotiations with John Kerry, D-Mass., and Joe Lieberman, I/D-Conn., because of an impasse with Reid over immigration.

Reid indicated last week that Graham's involvement was not essential. "There are 40 other Republicans -- why Lindsey Graham?" he said. But Miller's comments today suggest that bipartisan support from somewhere, if not from Graham himself, is essential -- and elusive.

"We are hopeful given the short time frame that we'll get some support, because if we don't, the chances we're going to be able to legislate on this this year and in the next few years is going to decline significantly," Miller said. "We need all hands on deck to try to convince members of the other side that they should work with us."

He expressed hope that the bill crafted by Kerry, Graham and Lieberman would still be introduced, but he didn't comment on whether or when that could happen. Kerry said earlier today at the conference that he hoped to introduce the bill "very, very soon," but Miller indicated that Reid may not bring a bill to the floor if he is not confident it could pass. Given the current state of Senate politics, it almost always takes a filibuster-proof 60 votes to pass a bill, he said, and "bringing a bill to the floor and failing could be worse than no bill at all."

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