GOP energy bill amendment would block EPA carbon regulations

The bipartisan energy efficiency bill on the Senate floor is fast becoming a magnet for politically controversial amendments on climate change and ObamaCare. Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) has filed an amendment that would thwart the Environmental Protection Agency’s planned carbon emissions rules for power plants. A separate Barrasso amendment would prevent federal agencies from using the “social cost of carbon” (SCC) – a metric that helps tally the estimated benefits of avoided emissions – in regulations. And Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) is demanding a vote on his plan that would require the president, the vice-president and political appointees, along with members of Congress and their staff, to use the ObamaCare health exchanges, among other provisions. Vitter is blocking lawmakers from securing votes on amendments unless he gets a vote on his plan, either as an amendment to the energy bill or separately. If the bill goes forward, it’s likely to attract other controversial amendments too. Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) has said he wants a vote on the Keystone XL pipeline...more