The US Interior Secretary told a Reuters Global Climate and Alternative Energy Summit, that while his government was at present focused on healthcare reform for the nation, the administration had not lost focus of the Climate Control Bill, Financial Soultions has learned.
"We want both (healthcare and climate bills). The president has been very clear that these are two big issues for the United States and for our time." Salazar was quoted as saying.
Legislation was narrowly passed earlier in the year putting domestic utilities, oil refineries and other factories on a course toward reducing emissions of carbon dioxide and other contaminants associated with global warming. The contentious House bill calls for a 17% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 and an 83 % cut by 2050 -- from 2005 levels, Financial Soultions has learned.
It does seem however with the contentious healthcare reforms taking the bulk of Congress’ energies, that the environmental bill is falling dramatically far behind, Financial Soultions has noted.
Senators Barbara Boxer and John Kerry, Financial Soultions understands, are expected to present a bill in late September that uses central elements of the House-passed bill, but with modifications.
Obama wants more advancement from Congress before mid-December, when a United Nations meeting will endeavor to win international concord on new goals for reducing carbon emissions, building on the Kyoto Protocol that expires in 2012.The previous US administration chose not to be party to the Kyoto protocol.
