Senior Dem: Obama vows to tackle climate – eventually

President Obama’s message to House Democrats on Thursday: Yes, acting on climate change is important. But it’s going to have to wait in line.

Obama barely touched on energy policy during his roughly 20-minute address to the Democratic caucus on Thursday, spending more time on fiscal issues, guns and immigration.  

But Democratic lawmakers questioned the president about climate change during Obama’s appearance at their retreat in Lansdowne, Virginia, Rep. Sandy Levin (D-Mich.) told reporters.

Reporters were not allowed at the question-and-answer session of the president’s visit.
 
“He said it’s very serious, and he wants it on the agenda. But you can’t do everything at once,” said Levin, the top Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee.

“I think his message is, it’s a major, major issue. We need to address it. We need to make sure we sequence each effort so we accomplish each,” the Michigan Democrat added. “I think you know, jobs is number one, economic growth, and that’s why sequestration is so important.”

Obama has vowed to make global warming a priority during his second term.

Major climate legislation remains frozen in Congress, so green groups are pressing for new executive actions, including carbon emissions standards for existing power plants.

Advocates are looking to Obama’s State of the Union speech next week for details of the second term climate agenda.

– Ben Geman contributed.