The 54-43 vote Tuesday is nonbinding. It took place as the Senate debated a budget plan designed to help advance President Barack Obama's program to slow global warming, an initiative that administration officials acknowledge will raise energy prices.
Companies that don't want to install expensive pollution controls could buy the permits. Obama proposed using the nearly $650 billion in projected revenues from the permits to extend his new $400 per worker, $800 per couple tax cut beyond 2010.