Reid ties Murkowski climate plan to oil spill

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) raised the political stakes on this week's EPA vote by casting supporters of the measure as handmaidens of "big oil."

The Senate is slated to vote Thursday on Sen. Lisa Murkowski's (R-Alaska) measure that would overturn the Environmental Protection Agency's authority to regulate greenhouse gases. The resolution, which has 40 cosponsors beyond Murkowski thus far, cannot be filibustered.

Reid, through a spokesman, on Tuesday launched a new attack on the plan as Democratic leaders seek to keep it shy of reaching 51 votes.

“Even with thousands of barrels of oil still gushing into the Gulf, Republicans are trying to hand a $47 billion giveaway to big oil companies later this week," said Reid spokesman Jim Manley in a prepared statement.

“This giveaway, otherwise known as the Murkowski disapproval resolution, is backed by oil company lobbyists because it would increase the nation’s consumption of oil by at least 455 million barrels, and probably waste several billion more," he added.

Murkowski's plan is cosponsored by three centrist Democrats — Blanche Lincoln (Ark.), Mary Landrieu (La.) and Ben Nelson (Neb.). But other Democratic votes are in play, including that of Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), who said Monday he may support the measure.