Some Republicans warming to curbs on carbon emissions

Three plans for dealing with greenhouse gases are met with hope, skepticism

By JULIET EILPERIN
Washington Post

WASHINGTON - Republicans who have historically dismissed calls for federal action on global warming are seeing a political benefit to embracing some curbs on heat-trapping gases, prompting a flurry of Capitol Hill negotiations that could ultimately shift the nation's policies on climate change.

This transformation will be on full display as early as next week, when several senators are expected to jockey to try to attach rival climate change proposals to the Senate energy bill. Three factions — John McCain, R-Ariz., and Joe Lieberman, D-Conn.; Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M.; and Chuck Hagel, R-Neb. — are offering competing plans to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

"We need to deal with global warming, not only because it's the right thing to do, it's the smart political and diplomatic thing to do," said Hagel, who has written three bills with Democrats aimed at promoting development of clean technology at home or abroad. "There is some political payoff in this."