Climate change bill faces Senate trouble

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2 (UPI) -- Democratic U.S. senators are deeply divided on a climate change bill, and unless more Republicans give their support, it seems poised to fail, analysts say.

Despite strong backing from its chief backer, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., and an ally of Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., the "cap-and-trade" proposal to limit greenhouse gas emissions is being torpedoed by opposition from senators from the Midwest, South and Rocky Mountains states who fear its impact on their regions' utilities and energy consumers, The Washington Post reported Monday.

"I think at the end of the day, the people who turn the switch on at home will be disadvantaged," Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., told CNBC Friday.

In a bid to save the bill, its backers have been offering amendments to speed the building of nuclear power plants, meant to sway at least six GOP senators, the Post said. But, it said analysts are unsure whether that will be enough in an era of political polarization.

"A tepid nuclear title isn't enough to get her to support a bad climate bill," Robert Dillon, a spokesman for Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski told the newspaper.