Global Warming Bill Blocked in the Senate

WASHINGTON — Republicans have blocked efforts to bring a global warming bill up for a final Senate vote after a bitter debate over its economic costs and whether it would push gasoline prices higher.

Democratic leaders today fell 12 votes short of getting the 60 votes needed to end a Republican filibuster on the measure. The vote was 48-36.

The, Majority Leader. Senator Reid, a Democrat of Nevada, now must decide whether to pull the bill and push the climate change issue to next year with a new Congress and a new president.

The bill would cap carbon dioxide coming from power plants and factories with a target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 71% by mid-century. Opponents say it amounts to a huge tax increase and would lead to higher energy prices.