No Bingaman in Copenhagen

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) won’t be among the U.S. lawmakers heading to Copenhagen for next month’s big international climate talks.

“I don’t know that I could contribute anything, at this point, to the process," he told me in an interview earlier today.

"I think it is fine for members of the House and Senate to attend if they choose to do so. But I am also very involved in this health care issue by virtue of being on both the Finance and HELP committees, and I expect my time is better spent working on that over the next few weeks," he added.

Bingaman also talked about his legislative plans and what kind of energy provisions deserve a spot in the jobs bill that Democrats are planning. I’ll be posting the transcript soon.