Jay Rockefeller

Sen. Jay Rockefeller has expressed concerns about the impact a climate bill would have on West Virginia’s coal industry. He’s probably more likely to vote for a bill than his home-state colleague Robert Byrd, but he would need to be assured that whatever bill passes isn’t too hard on the coal industry.

“Senator Rockefeller followed the process in the House on the climate change legislation very closely, and he continues to have serious concerns about the House bill,” said a statement released by his office after the House bill passed. “The Senate process is in the beginning stages, and Senator Rockefeller will continue working with his colleagues to make sure West Virginia’s interests are represented.”

Last year, Rockefeller voted to move the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act forward to a full vote on the floor, but that vote never took place. Afterwards, he signed a letter from swing-vote Democrats noting that he would have opposed final passage of the bill.

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