The Hill
Climate backers seek to salvage bill after Graham halts action over immigration
By Ben Geman - 04/26/10 09:29 AM ET

Sens. Kerry, Graham and Lieberman plan to meet Monday after talking about the issue over the weekend.

Authors of Senate climate legislation are working to defuse a standoff between Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) over immigration reform that has threatened to kill the climate bill’s prospects for floor action this year.

Graham on Saturday threatened to abandon his work with Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) on the climate and energy bill that was supposed to be rolled out Monday, forcing an indefinite postponement.

Congressional aides said that Kerry and Lieberman had discussions with Graham and White House officials over the weekend as they try and bring Graham back into the fold.

Kerry, Graham and Lieberman plan to meet again on Monday, a Senate aide said.

Lieberman acknowledged Sunday that the bill is dead without Graham, who is furious that Democrats might move ahead first with immigration legislation that he calls an election-year gambit.

Graham is seen as a bridge to other GOP votes.

“We need him to come back. Our hope is something can be worked out where he's comfortable about the separation of these two issues and the primacy of energy and climate legislation in Sen. Reid's scheduling,â€