Reid: Climate Bill Before Immigration

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said he’s willing to bring climate change legislation to debate before an immigration bill, which could help break an impasse with Republicans. Reid said the climate bill is “further down the road,” so the Senate could move quickly on it. Earlier this week, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) bailed on a “tripartisan” climate effort, citing Democratic plans to bring immigration up first, a move that some said was aimed at protecting Graham’s ally Sen. John McCain (R-AZ). (McCain is in a tough primary fight in a state where immigration is a major issue.) Graham’s announcement led Sen. John Kerry, one of his partners on the bill, to postpone a major press conference on the legislation. The two, with Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) have been working on it for more than six months.