As a historic bill aimed at curbing climate change gains momentum in the House, a group of about 25 Democratic senators has started to lay the groundwork for the daunting job of moving the legislation through their chamber.

The crux of their strategy? Follow the House, where the Energy and Commerce Committee has approved a climate change bill that would cap emissions of carbon dioxide and set up a system for polluters to buy and sell emissions permits.

“The House is going to prove the politics. If Waxman can get a deal, we’ll look at how we can build something like that in the Senate,” Senate Majority Whip Richard J. Durbin , D-Ill., said, referring to House Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry A. Waxman , D-Calif.

The Senate group, described as “the climate champions” by one aide, is led by Senate Environment and Public Works Chairwoman Barbara Boxer , D-Calif., and Sen. John Kerry , D-Mass. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and Durbin are also taking part in group meetings, with the aim of crafting a successful strategy for bringing a climate bill to the Senate floor.

The senators have been meeting every Tuesday for about a month in an effort to begin building a consensus around the House measure before it even arrives on their side of the Capitol. House leaders still must work with the eight other committee chairmen who share jurisdiction over the legislation before Waxman’s bill can hit the floor.

Senate advocates of the measure have their work cut out for them, even though moving a climate change bill is a priority for President Obama and Democratic leaders. Regulating carbon dioxide emissions is a tough sell, because capping those emissions could affect every sector of the U.S. economy and is likely to raise prices, at least in the short term.

Just one year ago, Republicans torpedoed Boxer’s efforts to bring the first comprehensive climate change bill to the Senate floor, partly by charging that the measure would raise gasoline prices. It was a potent argument during a summer that saw oil and gas prices soar to record highs.