From Holden:

We may have lost the battle over the bancruptcy bill, but we are winning the battle over “Clear Skies”.

In a major blow to the Bush administration, a key Senate panel Wednesday defeated a utility company-backed bill aimed at reducing the power plant pollution that causes lung and heart ailments, birth defects and premature deaths.

The bill, modeled on President Bush’s “Clear Skies” proposal, died on a 9-9 split vote by members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. The legislation now has little hope of being passed.

Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island joined the panel’s seven Democrats and independent Sen. Jim Jeffords of Vermont to reject the bill, which Bush has been pushing for the last three years.

[snip]

“It’s a shame that the U.S. Congress is the last bastion of denial on climate change,” Chafee said.

This battle is far from over, a tie vote means that they will continue to try to pass a compromise bill. But this vote is encouraging.