The Senate on Tuesday overwhelmingly adopted legislation that would encourage US businesses to voluntarily reduce emissions of greenhouse gases produced from burning fossil fuels.
The measure introduced by Senator Chuck Hagel, part of a broader energy bill being debated in the Senate this week, was adopted by a vote of 66 to 29.
The amendment would authorize federal loans for companies developing technologies designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and would authorize the US State Department to provide assistance to developing countries that target greenhouse gas emissions.
The United States is one of the biggest emitters of carbon dioxide and other other greenhouse gases, which are blamed for depleting the earth’s ozone layer, which filters the sun’s harmful rays.
