Climate bill not likely to come up this year - Glenn Thrush and Meredith Shiner - POLITICO.com

The bipartisan climate bill to be unveiled Monday isn't dead on arrival but it's not likely to be taken up this year — and not before an immigration bill comes to the Senate floor, according to Democratic aides.

As staffers for Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.), Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) prepared for a long weekend hammering out a compromise bill in time for Monday's unveiling, leadership aides not involved in its drafting cautioned against its prospects of quick consideration before this year's midterms.

"It's not fair to say it's dead, but it's on the back burner... It could happen this year, but at this point it's not likely," said a senior Democratic aide familiar with Reid's thinking.

It's "unlikely" to be considered this year, said another.