White House says it’s confident that Senate will pass comprehensive energy legislation

White House confident Senate will pass energy bill

WASHINGTON — The White House says it’s confident that the Senate will pass comprehensive energy legislation.

President Barack Obama’s top energy adviser, Carol Browner, made the comment in an interview with a small group of reporters.

But she repeatedly refused to say when the White House expected the Senate to pass the measure. And she refused to speculate on whether Obama would have legislation sent to his desk by year’s end.

The House on Friday narrowly approved the first energy legislation ever designed to curb global warming. Its fate is less certain in the Senate, where Democrats lack the 60 votes needed to block a certain filibuster.