Now that President Barack Obama has signed the jobs bill with billions for energy and weatherization programs, focus turns to next steps in the push for a clean energy.  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has called for Senate action on legislation promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency within the next couple of weeks.  He also hopes for global warming legislation later this year, in advance of international climate negotiations in Copenhagen in December.  Senators Baucus and Tester will provide key votes on any national climate change legislation.

AP Interview: Reid pushing for climate change bill

By H. JOSEF HEBERT

WASHINGTON (AP) - Saying it's time to "take a whack" at climate change, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says he plans to push for Senate action on global warming by the end of summer.

The Nevada Democrat in an interview with The Associated Press said the Senate will take up energy legislation in a couple of weeks "and then later this year, hopefully late this summer do the global warming part of it."  more...

BEYOND THE JOBS BILL: 2009 ENERGY APPROPRIATIONS

On February 23, Congressman Dave Obey (D-WI), Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, introduced a $410 billion bill to wrap up work on the fiscal year 2009 appropriations bills. The FY 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act (H.R.  1105), which consolidates several spending bills that were not completed in 2008, includes $2.5 billion above 2008 funding for investments in solar energy technology, improved vehicle fuel efficiencies, improvements in building and industrial energy efficiencies and weatherization grants, as well as funding for advanced energy research, climate change research, cleanup of nuclear weapons manufacturing contamination, and water projects.

Senator Max Baucus and Senator Jon Tester issued a joint press release announcing that Montana was in line to receive millions more in funding through the appropriations bill, including $5.7 million to the Dept. of Energy for the MSU Center for Zero Emissions Research and Technology Program. They expect the bill to be voted on by both the House and Senate within the next two weeks.