The Senate rejected a measure on Wednesday to kill the Environmental Protection Agency’s regulation of greenhouse gas emissions, handing President Barack Obama a victory in his effort to quicken the move to clean energy.

The EPA’s rules, which it began rolling out on polluters such as power plants and oil refineries early this year, are one of Obama’s top strategies to show the world the United States is fighting climate change.

Republicans, who were able to block a climate and energy bill last year, hoped to pick up support from Democrats in energy-dependent states facing tight elections next year on the measure sponsored by Republican leader Mitch McConnell.

But it got only 50 votes in the Democratic-led 100-member chamber, short of the 60 votes needed to pass.