Democrats’ attempt to reinstate Obama-era global warming controls went down to defeat in the Senate Thursday, with a bipartisan majority rejecting them.
The failure clears the way for the Trump administration to do away with the Obama rules, known as the “Clean Power Plan,” which would have raised the price of greenhouse gas-heavy energy production such as coal.
Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer had forced the vote, calling it a key showdown on climate change.
“Time is running out for the United States to meet the existential threat posed by climate change,” the New York Democrat said.
But he couldn’t keep all his Democrats in line, much less win over Republicans, and saw his effort doomed on a 51-43 vote that saw several Democrats join the GOP in opposition.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, cheered the vote, saying it saved the country as many as 125,000 jobs, and prevented double-digit increases in energy costs.
“Low-income and minority populations would be hit hardest by the double-digit electricity bill increases in four of every five states,” he said.
Mr. McConnell said that was too much pain for the promised benefits — one-hundredth of a degree less warming by 2050.
Even if the resolution had passed, it was headed for a White House veto, and there was little chance of mustering the votes to override President Trump.
Mr. Schumer, though, has said he plans to force a series of votes on Trump administration rules in order to make senators take a stand on key issues, using the Congressional Review Act.
That law gives Congress the power to review, and try to overturn, new regulations issued by an administration. The law gives even the minority party in the Senate the power to force votes.
Mr. Schumer said last week that other upcoming votes will deal with health care and a Democratic attempt to roll back part of the GOP’s 2017 tax cut law. Curiously, in that case, it’s Democrats who are arguing for a tax cut to largely benefit wealthy homeowners in high-tax states.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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