Climate bill supporters are looking to Senators John Kerry, Lindsey Grahamand Joe Lieberman and to help bridge the partisan gap that has so far marked proceedings in the upper house.Sen. Lindsey Graham has a pivotal role in winning Republican support for climate legislation.

Barbara Boxer, the California Democrat who chairs the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, is moving ahead with debate, amendment and rewrite of the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act. Republicans mostly boycotted the first meeting, calling for a more complete analysis of the bill's "projected impacts on the nation."

Because Democrats outnumber Republicans 12:7 on the committee, they have the majority needed to vote for release of the climate change bill (S.1733) to the full Senate for consideration after the markup process is complete. Because of possible defections by some Democrats, Republican votes likely will be needed for a climate change bill to emerge from the Senate.

That may be the reason for a full-court press by Sen. Kerry to reach out to Republicans. Hopes have been raised for a bi-partisan agreement after Kerry co-wrote an oped in the New York Times with Sen. Graham, calling for comprehensive climate action.