"We urge the US to do its utmost to wrap up work on its domestic climate legislation by the December 2009 United Nations summit in Copenhagen." A plea from Italian Socialist MEP Guido Sacconi, who led a delegation of ten deputies to Washington, on 28-30 April, aimed at bolstering the commitment of US lawmakers to combat global warming. Some 60 out of 100 US Senators are now favourably disposed to cap and trade legislation to curb greenhouse gas emissions - a big enough majority to secure adoption. However, things are moving slower in the other US legislative branch - the House of Representatives - and MEPs are worried the US may not have anything on the statute books in time for the crucial Copenhagen summit. The deputies met with Senators Joe Lieberman (Independent, Connecticut), John Warner (Republican, Virginia) and Jeff Bingaman (Democrat, New Mexico), who have each at various times sponsored cap and trade bills. A recent head count of Senate support gives the MEPs cause for hope: 45 Senators strongly back legislation, 15 are well-disposed, 16 are not categorically opposed while the remainder are 'no hopers', according to one source.
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