450 GOP AMENDMENTS TO STOP ENERGY BILL

GOP plans 450 climate bill changes
Lisa Lerer, May 15, 2009 (Politico)
GOP plans 450 climate bill changes
Lisa Lerer, May 15, 2009 (Politico)

"Republicans in the House Energy and Commerce committee are considering introducing about 450 amendments during the mark-up of climate change legislation next week…Many of the potential amendments would lower the environmental standards…[or] make it more difficult for Democrats to vote to support it…The committee is scheduled to spend all next week marking-up the climate and energy bill sponsored by Reps. Henry Waxman, (D-Calif.) and Ed Markey, (D-Mass.)

"Waxman, the chairman of the committee, has spent months negotiating a deal with southern and Midwestern Democrats who fear the new regulations capping greenhouse gases could hurt businesses and consumers at homes. On Thursday, Virginia Rep. Rich Boucher – who’s acted as a lead negotiator for skeptical Democrats – endorsed the bill, a signal that it could have enough support to pass the committee."

Know going in: This is the misinformation from the dark side. Studies show it does not HAVE to cost excessively but the bill's opponents are doing everything they can to see that it does. From RepMarshaBlackburn via YouTube.

"But Republicans plan to wage a fierce fight for wavering Democrats. They plan to introduce amendments covering a huge swath of issues from lowering the emissions targets and renewable electricity standard included in the bill to making the controversial Yucca Mountain in Nevada a storage facility for carbon capture and sequestration waste.

"Texas Rep. Joe Barton, the highest ranking Republican on the committee, announced an alternative energy bill on Thursday— a proposal Republicans expect will be swiftly voted down by the committee. After that, they plan to start introducing the hundreds of amendments."

From RepJoeBarton via YouTube.

"Several amendments targeted at expanding coal, oil refineries, and nuclear production specifically target skeptical southern Democrats. [A]mendments…focused on economic recovery in the Rust Belt could be tough votes for worried Midwestern Democrats…[A] series of state-specific proposals [are] targeted at making lawmakers take tough votes against their home districts…[Other amendments] suspend the law if more than 1,000 jobs are lost… make the allowances required under a cap-and-trade program totally free for the utility companies…eliminate tax benefits for energy and manufacturing companies…mandate intense reporting requirements, force congressional reauthorization every two years, and limit lawsuits.

"Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Wamxan can decide to proceed to a vote at any point in the mark-up hearing, a move that would cut off Republican amendments."