Senators Offer Climate Bill

Senators John Kerry, Lindsey Graham, and Joe Lieberman gave Barack Obama a boost Thursday by proposing a compromise climate bill, suggesting the country cut greenhouse-gas emissions by 17 percent by 2020. The goal parallels legislation previously passed in the House and what Obama will present at the international climate talks in Copenhagen next week on America’s behalf. Kerry—who said the Senate is dedicated to addressing the climate crisis—and the other two senators' roughly established “framework” also plans for more expansive offshore oil-and-gas drilling and support of nuclear power on the federal level. Obama, according to the White House press secretary, sees the effort as a significant move toward an agreement in the Senate. While Lieberman said the three senators don’t have the 60 votes needed to advance the bill at this point, he says he believes there will be a deal in the future.