Whitfield sees industry pressure boosting Senate vote count to block EPA

The co-sponsor of House-passed legislation that blocks greenhouse-gas rules said Thursday it's too soon to talk compromise with the Senate — which rejected the same plan Wednesday — because industry pressure could change the equation in the upper chamber.

“Groups like the Farm Bureau and others are going to start contacting senators over there about how important this bill is, particularly those senators who are going to be up for reelection in 2012,” Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.) told reporters in the Capitol.

“We don’t want to compromise with anybody right now, because we want to pass the bill and then we know that groups are going to start talking to them in earnest over there about the impact of this legislation,” added Whitfield. “So that’s our plan right now.”

He spoke just before the House voted 255-172 in favor of legislation that strips the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) power to regulate greenhouse-gas emissions from sources like power plants and refineries.

The Senate rejected the same plan 50-50 Wednesday when 60 votes were needed to attach it to small-business legislation.

But Whitfield predicted increased pressure on senators from local chambers of commerce, power companies and others.

“I think you are going to hear from a lot of people because it [EPA regulation] is going to have a significant impact on electricity costs. So there are a lot of groups out there that they are going to be hearing from,” said Whitfield, a top member of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Asked if that was enough to get the 10 additional Senate votes needed, Whitfield said he was uncertain, and also predicted the matter would surface on the stump when vulnerable members are seeking reelection. “People running against these senators in these key states in 2012 will certainly be bringing it to the attention of the voters,” he said.

The House version of the block-EPA bill attracted 19 Democratic votes and the Senate proposal won backing from four Democrats.

Several other Senate Democrats facing reelection battles, such as Claire McCaskill (Mo.) and Sherrod Brown (Ohio), voted Wednesday for Democratic alternatives that would limit or delay EPA’s rules while leaving the agency’s regulatory power intact.

While Whitfield wouldn’t talk compromise Thursday, another top Republican was more willing to entertain the idea.