No Senate votes Thursday on amendments to block, limit EPA climate rules

By Andrew Restuccia - 03/31/11 02:39 PM ET

There will likely be no Senate floor votes Thursday on amendments to small-business legislation that would block or limit Environmental Protection Agency climate regulations, a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) told The Hill.

Lawmakers were slated Thursday afternoon to vote on the amendments, but a disagreement over amendments by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) has likely sidelined the votes for the second day in a row.

Coburn blocked a unanimous-consent agreement on moving forward with debate on the small-business bill Wednesday in an effort to secure a vote on his amendment to eliminate ethanol tax breaks. The disagreement over the amendment, and seven other amendments offered by Coburn, has yet to be resolved.

“Sen. Coburn will continue to use all procedural means available to him to secure votes on his amendment,” Coburn spokesman John Hart said.

It's unclear when votes on the amendments will take place.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has offered an amendment to the small-business bill that would permanently block EPA climate regulations. The amendment language mirrors a bill introduced by Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.). Companion legislation passed a key House committee earlier this month, and a House vote is expected in the coming weeks.

There are three Democratic alternative amendments that may also get a floor vote.

An amendment by Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) would codify EPA plans to exempt small polluters from climate rules and exempt the agriculture sector from the rules. Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) introduced an amendment to the bill that would delay EPA climate rules for two years. And Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) introduced an amendment that would delay EPA climate rules for two years as well as exempt agriculture from greenhouse-gas rules and boost a tax credit program for manufacturing green-energy equipment, among other provisions.