Senate not seen passing climate bill in 2010

The Senate is unlikely to pass climate change legislation this year after going through the contentious health care debate, and will focus on a separate energy bill that has more bipartisan support, a key Democratic senator said on Tuesday. "It is my assessment that we likely will not do climate change this year, but will do an energy bill instead," Senator Byron Dorgan, told reporters in a telephone conference call. Dorgan's comments were at odds with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who has said the Senate this spring would take up a climate change bill to cap and then reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions that are blamed for global warming. Dorgan, who is in the Senate Democratic leadership, said legislation already cleared by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee would be easier to pass...read more