Now that the House faced an embarrassingly close squeaker of a vote to force through its cap-and-trade global warming bill (which won’t really affect global warming but is in fact simply a big bill to come due later), the Senate will have to begin considering something of the sort.

Jim Tankersley of the Tribune newspapers has a forecast of Senate action, and reports:

The bill is likely to include provisions designed to encourage development of new energy sources, including wind and solar power. Among these: financial and legal provisions to speed construction of transmission lines to move power from the remote deserts and plains where it is easily produced to coastal cities where it’s needed.

The quest for new energy sources is expected to reopen the politically explosive issue of offshore drilling as well.

Looming over all of the provisions is cost, a focal point of Republican attacks.

“The public is especially wary of passing this during a major recession,” said Marc Morano, a former Republican on the Senate environment committee.

Yes indeed.

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