Reid: Senate to act on climate before immigration

[AlphaCentauri]

Source: Forbes

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Tuesday he is willing to bring up climate change legislation ahead of an immigration bill, the first step toward resolving a dispute with Senate Republicans that threatened to derail a bipartisan effort months in the making.

Reid said the long-delayed climate bill "is much further down the road in terms of a product" than the immigration measure, which remains unwritten.

"The energy bill is ready. We will move to that more quickly than a bill we don't have," Reid, D-Nev., told reporters. "I don't have an immigration bill."

Reid's comments were intended to help resolve a dispute that emerged last weekend when Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., threatened to withhold support for the climate bill if Reid pushes ahead first with an immigration bill.



Read more: http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2010/04/27/general-us-climate-bill_7553891.html?boxes=Homepagebusinessnews

[lordcommander]

1. I have an idea....

Why not do both bills at the same time!

:think:

[Liberal Veteran]

2. But that might cause a rift in the space-time continuum and destroy the universe.

[Nancy Waterman]

3. Can't they walk and chew gum at the same time?

Prepare the immigration bill over the next few months, bringing in Hispanic leaders to share ideas, while they discuss the details of the climate bill. Once climate is passed, immigration is ready to go. How hard is that?

[karynnj]

6. That's what they will really do

Just as Kerry/Lieberman and Graham have been working on this while healthcare and financial reform was done. In fact, Kerry started working on this from the beginning of Obama's adminstration when he, other Senators, and adminstation people had a "kickoff" meeting at the Kerrys' home.

They both need committees with oversight to sign off on the bills - which I assume can happen at the same time - though there might be some committees involved in both - Finance(?). But, I doubt they can bring two to the floor at the same time, even though there are other less contentious things done while the bigger bills are done. There was a major foreign policy budget approved today with no trouble at all - a voice vote.

[FirstLight]

4. They better be ready to drastically work on that Energy Bill too

after the oil spill in the gulf, drilling exploration needs to be axed.

and speaking of nuclear energy and leaks...perhaps that piece should be re-thunk too.

Could the energy Bill be all about rebuilding infrastructure to increase efficiency, highways to increase mileage and focus solely on wind, sun, and composting etc...SUSTAINABLE energy or nothing at all?

oh, I can dream, can't I...?

[hughee99]

5. The immigration discussion was just a teaser...

they won't pass anything before the mid-terms.