This vote was on a motion to instruct conferees on the fiscal 2010 budget resolution to include language that would allow for future legislation that would create new jobs in “clean technology,” diversify the domestic clean energy supply, provide incentives for cost-savings through energy efficiency and other items. 

These “motions to instruct” are intended to provide guidance to the conferees on a bill (conferees are members of the House and Senate who meet to hammer out the two chambers’ differences on a bill after both chambers have passed their own separate versions).  Motions to instruct are not binding on conferees, and as such mostly serve as a platform from which lawmakers can talk about a range of topics, or to put the majority of the chamber on record as endorsing an idea that bears on the conference.  The motion was made to the budget resolution that serves as the blueprint for Congress’ budget priorities in fiscal 2010. The budget resolution sets overall spending targets for the Appropriations committees and outlines other budget rules. 

Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., who made the motion to instruct, said “it is not enough just to say what we will not do on climate change. It is very important to say what we will do. So that is what my motion to instruct does. It provides a positive direction for future climate legislation.”

No one spoke against Stabenow’s motion to instruct.

The motion was agreed to by a vote of 57-37.  All but one Democrat present voted for the motion . All but three Republicans present voted against the motion.  The end result is that the motion to instruct conferees on the fiscal 2010 budget resolution to insist on including language in the final bill that would endorse new “clean technology” jobs, a diversified domestic clean energy supply and incentives for cost-savings was adopted.