Especially while it focuses on healthcare, Congress isn’t getting any closer to passing legislation to force businesses to control greenhouse gases. But the Obama administration is signaling that it won’t wait forever for Congress to act.

EPA’s recent statement that greenhouse gases threaten public health and the environment wasn’t made just to make the global warming crowd happy.

It’s the administration’s first step toward regulating the gases blamed for climate change without Congressional approval by using the Clear Air Act.

That law has already been used to successfully control smog and soot.

Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) summed up the EPA action best. “The message to Congress is crystal clear: Get moving.”

But even the Democrats aren’t unified on this matter. Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) said, “I strongly urge EPA to wait for Congress to find a solution.”

If it comes down to EPA action, the agency may not have the last word. Congress could withhold funding for any program to control greenhouse gases, and industry groups have threatened to hold up any such regulations in the courts through lawsuits.