Reid will delay procedural vote on electric, natural gas vehicles bill
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has decided to delay a procedural vote on a bill to encourage the development of electric and natural gas vehicles.
Regan Lachapelle, Reid’s spokeswoman, said canceling the cloture vote on the bill, set for tomorrow, in favor of continuing discussion with Republicans will give the legislation a better chance of passing before the end of the year.
Lachapelle’s full email statement:
“„There have been some positive discussions with Republicans about moving forward on the natural gas and electric vehicles legislation. Senator Reid has talked to Senator [Orrin Hatch (R-Utah)] and others and thinks that vitiating the cloture vote at this point would increase the chances that we’ll be able to get a bipartisan agreement to pass this important legislation before the end of the year.
The bill is considered one of the only energy-related measures that could move during the lame-duck session. The delay raises questions about whether the bill can gain the necessary support for passage. It’s also worth noting that it’s not just Republicans who are raising questions about the bill. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) has said he will oppose the bill unless provisions that encourage ethanol development are added.
