The three principals in the bipartisan energy bill negotations will reportedly meet following today’s cloture vote on immigration, to discuss moving forward with the bill:
Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) are planning to meet tonight to try to reset action on the energy bill that they had intended to introduce today until their plan was derailed last week.
Their meeting, scheduled for after the cloture vote on financial regulation reform, will take place despite Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s intention to hold debate on an immigration bill before the energy issue comes to the floor – a plan that prompted Graham to say he would no longer be a co-sponsor of the bill, despite months of working on it with Kerry and Lieberman.
Graham’s decision set off a weekend scramble, which included White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, to keep the energy package on track.