US House climate change bill clears key hurdle

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A controversial climate change bill sought by President Barack Obama advanced in
the US House of Representatives on Friday, clearing the way for possible approval of a measure to control
global warming.
The bill cleared a procedural hurdle in a narrow vote of 217-205 when the House approved the rule for debating
the Democratic-backed proposal. Democratic leaders were optimistic the bill could be approved by the House
as early as Friday.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, asked by a reporter whether she still lacked the votes for passage, replied: “Quite
to the contrary.”
The procedural vote was mostly along partisan lines but was evidence Democratic leaders had made progress
toward passing the legislation.
At the core of the 1,200-page bill is a “cap and trade” plan designed to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and
other greenhouse gases by 17 percent by 2020 and 83 percent by 2050, from 2005 levels.
Earlier Friday, Pelosi, welcoming German Chancellor Angela Merkel to the Capitol, said she was hopeful the
climate change bill would pass and praised German leadership on combating global warming.
“Today hopefully we’ll have a celebration of American leadership taking its rightful place with German leadership
on this important issue,” Pelosi said.
Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett told CNBC on Friday the president was “on the phone” trying to help win
passage. Obama also met at the White House on Thursday with some undecided Democrats.
“It’s a job creator. It’s going to help save millions of dollars, billions of dollars, for our economy and we don’t know
right now if we have the votes, so we’re going to work up until the last moment,” Jarrett said.
With House Republicans mostly opposed and warning it would hit recession-weary consumers in their
pocketbooks with higher prices for energy and other everyday goods, supporters were attempting to counter
those arguments.
Pelosi, Obama and others cited environmental benefits, job creation and even national security as the legislation
attempts to move the country away from its dependence on foreign oil in favour of developing domestically
produced alternative fuels such as wind and solar energy and possibly “clean coal.