Senate Sets Aside Climate Bill

Senate Sets Aside Climate Bill

Senate Republicans blocked a global warming bill that would have required major reductions in greenhouse gases.

Democratic leaders fell a dozen votes short of getting the 60 needed to end a Republican filibuster on the measure and bring the bill up for a vote, prompting Majority Leader Harry Reid to pull the legislation from consideration.

The Senate debate focused on bitter disagreement over the expected economic costs of putting a lid on carbon dioxide, the leading greenhouse gas that comes from burning fossil fuels.

The bill would have capped carbon dioxide coming from power plants, refineries and factories, with a target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 71 percent by mid-century.

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