Senate cloture bid on energy bill fails

The Senate Friday voted against taking up the energy bill approved by the House earlier this week, making it likely that some provisions in the House bill will have to be stripped in order for Congress to complete a final energy package.

In a 53 to 42 vote, the Senate rejected a motion by Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to invoke cloture on the House energy bill, which could have led to a vote on the package itself.

Immediately after the vote several senators rose to say they would work to seek a compromise, including Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.), the top Republican on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. He said Friday’s vote marked the beginning of a process to complete work on an energy package in this Congress.

{mosads}Reid told reporters Thursday that he would consider stripping from the bill the Renewable Portfolio Standard, which would require utilities to get more of their electricity from renewable sources like wind, solar, geothermal and biomass sources. A $21 billion tax package included in the House bill may also be removed.

The vote was generally party-line, but several centrist Republicans facing reelection next year voted for cloture, including Sens. Norm Coleman (Minn.), Susan Collins (Maine) and Gordon Smith (Ore.) Sen. John Sununu (R-N.H.), who is also seen as facing a difficult reelection bid, voted against cloture.

The bill would raise fuel efficiency standards for automobiles for the first time in 20 years by requiring an automaker’s fleet to average 35 miles per gallon, up from the current 25 miles per gallon. In his floor speech, Reid hailed the measure as historic, and urged his colleagues to put politics aside and support the House bill.

“This energy and security act will finally put America on the right track to solve our energy crisis,” Reid said.