"Senate Leader Set to Take Command of Climate Bill"

"Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is about to take over as stage manager in the uphill push to pass comprehensive climate and energy legislation.

Next week, Reid will be handed the reins of the bill to cap greenhouse gas emissions while expanding domestic oil, gas and nuclear power production. His challenge could not be tougher. Along with the climate measure, he must juggle a packed Senate agenda that includes Wall Street reform, a Supreme Court nomination and more economic recovery plans. Reid is also facing perhaps the toughest re-election campaign of his career this fall. ...

In an effort to keep the bill in Reid's hands, the sponsors -- Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) won't officially introduce the bill in the Senate when they unveil it to the public next week.

'If we introduce it, it'll get referred to committees,' Lieberman said. 'We want him to be able to work with it and bring it out onto the floor as a leader whenever he's ready.'"

Darren Samuelsohn reports for ClimateWire April 14, 2010.

See Also:

"Senate Climate Bill Would End EPA/State Programs" (Reuters)

"Senate Climate Bill To Be Unveiled April 26" (New York Times)

"Obama's Chief of Staff Huddles With Enviro Leaders to Discuss Climate Bill" (Greenwire)

Reid Reaffirms Plans as Climate Bill Sponsors Prepare Bloc-to-Bloc Talks (Greenwire)

"Coal Executives Split on Carbon Caps, Climate Science" (Greenwire)

"Coal Chiefs Go on Offensive as Pickens Pushes Case for Natural Gas" (ClimateWire)

"Enviros Take Aim at Michele Bachmann (R-Crazytown)" (Mother Jones)