The 56-41 vote dooming Paul’s measure included “nay” votes from six Republicans – Lamar Alexander (Tenn.), Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe (Maine), Mark Kirk (Ill.), Scott Brown (Mass.) and Kelly Ayote (N.H.). Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin (W.Va.) and Ben Nelson (Neb.) voted to support the measure.
Paul argued EPA’s rule was designed chiefly to destroy coal-based power generation in order to favor renewable fuels and was unnecessary as the current Clean Air Interstate Rule is working. His resolution, backed by NMA, would have easily passed the House, but it would have faced a promised veto from the president.
A bi-partisan Senate bill by Manchin and Dan Coats (R-Ind.) appears stalled after being referred to the Environment and Public Works Committee for consideration, where Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) opposes its proposed implementation delay for the CSAPR and the Utility MACT rules. “We make big stuff in the Midwest, which takes electricity,” said Coats. “Our economy is not based on producing maple syrup or wine from Napa Valley.”
In addition, Sens. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) and Alexander introduced another bi-partisan bill to delay the CSAPR for one year. It was referred to Chairman Boxer’s committee, where it faces a fate similar to the Manchin-Coats measure.
