The bipartisan sponsors of the main Senate climate and energy bill say they’re now willing to further weaken their measure to win Republican support. Senators John Kerry and Joseph Lieberman made the pledge Tuesday following a meeting with President Obama and other lawmakers at the White House. Kerry said he and Lieberman are prepared to scale back their bill on top of initial compromises.

Sen. John Kerry: “We believe we have compromised significantly, but we’re prepared to compromise further. And we are looking for some Republicans, and perhaps even some members of our caucus, who will meet us at that place of compromise. We are prepared to scale back the reach of our legislation in order to try to find that place of compromise, because we believe, and I think the President believes very strongly, what is important is for America to get started.”

The Kerry-Lieberman measure calls for reducing US emissions by 17 percent of 2005 levels, which equals just four percent of the 1990 levels adopted by the rest of the world. One so-called “compromise” under discussion would limit emissions caps to major utilities, as opposed to all polluters. In a statement, the group Friends of the Earth said, “Capitulate, then compromise is not a strategy that will produce a real climate bill. It’s time for senators to stop caving to corporate polluters and start listening to the people they represent who are demanding clean, safe energy and jobs.”