Rep. Simpson to Senate: Let’s make a deal on EPA

“They had 64 votes for some form of preventing the EPA from regulating greenhouse gases,” said Simpson, who leads the panel of the Appropriations Committee that sets EPA spending.

“I would like to see [the Senate] pass something and then let’s go to conference and see what we can work out, because obviously there is a majority of the House and the Senate that are concerned about EPA climate change rules and what they are proposing, and if there is a majority that have that concern, we ought to be able to work something out,” he told reporters in the Capitol shortly before the vote.

In addition to rejecting the GOP plan Wednesday, the Senate voted down a trio of Democratic amendments to delay EPA rules or limit their scope while leaving the agency’s authority to regulate intact.

Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) attracted 12 votes for his plan to delay regulation of power plants, refineries and other sources for two years.

Simpson also predicted efforts to temporarily block funding for EPA rules on future spending bills.