POLL SAYS HOUSE WILL PASS ENERGY/CLIMATE BILL

House panel to ok climate change bill-Reuters poll
Tom Doggett (w/Richard Cowan, Jasmin Melvin, Deborah Zabarenko, Ayesha Rascoe and Andrea Ricci), May 20, 2009 (Reuters via UK Guardian)

FINAL VOTE ON HOUSE ENERGY/CLIMATE LEGISLATION LIKELY THURSDAY NIGHT.

"Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee have enough votes to approve historic legislation to cap and reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, according to a Reuters survey of specific lawmakers on the panel.

"The legislation, which Democratic leaders plan to have the committee vote on this week, would slash greenhouse gases that cause global warming by 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020."

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"The heart of the legislation is a "cap and trade" system that would gradually reduce the amount of greenhouse gases from utilities, steelmakers, oil refineries and other companies by requiring them to have permits to spew…

"Of the 59 members [36 Democrats, 23 Republicans] on the House committee, Reuters found that 30 lawmakers, all of them Democrats, would definitely vote "yes" or were likely to support the bill. The survey results were based on comments from the lawmakers themselves or from congressional staff on where their bosses stand…"

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"The panel's top Republican, Representative Joe Barton, has implied that every Republican member of the committee would vote against the bill. But at least one, Mary Bono Mack of California, might support the bill…according to an aide. Reuters did not survey other Republican members…

"Six committee Democrats in the Reuters survey expressed concerns about the bill, showed little support for the measure or were still undecided. They were: John Barrow of Georgia, Eliot Engel of New York, Jim Matheson of Utah, Charlie Melancon of Louisiana, Mike Ross of Arkansas and Zack Space of Ohio."