Several senators have expressed their reluctance to accept the argument by Sens. John F. Kerry, D-Mass., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Joseph I. Lieberman, ID-Conn., for having the Senate pass a climate change bill this year, Greenwire reported. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., was quoted as saying: "We've got other things we've got to finish up before" attempting to pass a bill. McCaskill said senators were skeptical about authorizing "a new derivative market" for GHG emissions permits until reforms were made for the current derivatives markets.
Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., who just this week said he would not run for re-election, added that he was reluctant to advance a cap-and-trade program "given the state of the economy and the lack of a firm commitment on the part of other nations." Instead, a bill focused on energy held the promise of improving energy security and cutting GHG emissions in "an economically friendly way." Graham was quoted as saying of efforts to win senators' support for his bill: "What I'm trying to do is make sure people feel good about it and we've thought this thing through. Because the attacks will come."
