Boxer, Kerry Dropping Senate Climate Bill Wednesday

Following a heated debate on healthcare this summer, the Senate will finally take up climate legislation. This Wednesday, Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and John Kerry (D-MA) will introduce a draft climate and energy bill in the Senate. The bill is expected to largely build off of the House bill which passed in June, though Senate Democratic aides say the Senate version will have a more aggressive emission target (20% below 1990 levels) and not include language to assist energy-intensive manufacturing industries such as steel and cement. Hearings on the bill will start on Thursday, with a markup in the Energy and Public Works Committee soon thereafter. Read more at E&E (sub. req’d)