Senators: Climate Change Bill Prospects Looking Up

While differing on the details, four U.S. senators from across the political divide agreed that the prospects for a bill that would reduce carbon emissions are the best they've been in years.

Speaking at the Climate Change Conference 2009, sponsored by CQ-Roll Group, Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D-Maryland) said legislation currently being considered in the Senate builds upon a 2008 bill that was supported by more than 50 Senators.

"And of course we have a more receptive Congress now, and we certainly have a stronger president for global climate change."

Republican Sen. George V. Voinovich said that by adding provisions for nuclear energy and carbon sequestration (what the coal industry has dubbed "clean coal"), "you would have something really fantastic that you could show the world that we have done that makes a real difference."

Of course both of those issues - nuclear and clean coal - are anathema to some liberal Democrats and would potentially lose any votes on the left that were gained on the right.

Also speaking at the event were Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Bernard Sanders (I-Vermont). All four senators are members of the Senate's environment committee, where a bill aimed at slowing global warming is originating.

Watch the full speeches at http://www.congress.org/news/2009/10/19/climate_change_conference_2009.

Go back to Roll Call's video page.