As of Wednesday night, a vote may finally be in sight for an amendment that would revoke the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act.
After days of back and forth over scheduling, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid signaled late Wednesday that a vote is tentatively set for Thursday afternoon.
The amendment, offered by Minority leader Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, is based on legislation authored by Republican Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma. It is part of a group of highly contentious amendments attached to a small business bill that have kept Democrats from bringing it to the floor for a vote.
Other than McConnell’s, the other two amendments, offered by Republican Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and Sen. Mike Johanns of Nebraska, would do away with a tax credit for ethanol farmers and repeal the 1099 reporting rule for small business, respectively.
Aaccording to Inhofe, the reason the EPA amendment hasn’t come up for a vote yet is because Democrats are concerned about what it could do to their re-election chances in 2012.
Even if Inhofe gets his vote, however, how President Obama would respond to an amendment stripping the EPA’s power to regulate carbon dioxide is anyone’s guess. Senior White House officials have reportedly warned of a veto, but in public, Obama has been silent on the issue.
According to Inhofe, the president is in a political bind with the provision. “It’s an amendment on a bill he would have a hard time vetoing,” he said, referring to the small business bill the amendment is attached to.
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After days of back and forth over scheduling, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid signaled late Wednesday that a vote is tentatively set for Thursday afternoon.
The amendment, offered by Minority leader Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, is based on legislation authored by Republican Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma. It is part of a group of highly contentious amendments attached to a small business bill that have kept Democrats from bringing it to the floor for a vote.
Other than McConnell’s, the other two amendments, offered by Republican Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and Sen. Mike Johanns of Nebraska, would do away with a tax credit for ethanol farmers and repeal the 1099 reporting rule for small business, respectively.
Aaccording to Inhofe, the reason the EPA amendment hasn’t come up for a vote yet is because Democrats are concerned about what it could do to their re-election chances in 2012.
Even if Inhofe gets his vote, however, how President Obama would respond to an amendment stripping the EPA’s power to regulate carbon dioxide is anyone’s guess. Senior White House officials have reportedly warned of a veto, but in public, Obama has been silent on the issue.
According to Inhofe, the president is in a political bind with the provision. “It’s an amendment on a bill he would have a hard time vetoing,” he said, referring to the small business bill the amendment is attached to.
Read more
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