Senate to Vote on Renewable Energy Tax Credits: But will McCain Show Up this Time?

Timothy B. Hurst — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:24:33 +0000

McCain has been absent 8 times this year for critical vote

[Update: On Tuesday afternoon, the Senate passed H.R. 6049 by a tally of 93-2. Senator John McCain, along with Senators Obama and Biden, did not record a vote on the tax credits.]

The U.S. Senate is scheduled to vote as early as Tuesday, on the Baucus/Grassley Amendment to H.R. 6049, legislation that would extend tax breaks for renewable energy production and energy-efficiency measures.

Negotiators hammered out the extensive tax package to continue investment credits for solar, wind, and geothermal energy. It also creates a new tax credit for purchasers of plug-in hybrid vehicles.

>>More on Senate struggles with renewable energy at RG&B

The Senate version of the measure, would spend $17 billion on energy tax incentives over 10 years and pay for those incentives by limiting some oil and gas company deductions, altering tax treatment of certain foreign oil-related income and raising the per-barrel tax by four cents over three years.

Green Options » federal renewable energy tax credits

Senate to Vote on Renewable Energy Tax Credits: But will McCain Show Up this Time?

McCain has been absent 8 times this year for critical vote