US House Committee passes cap-and-trade bill, 33-25

The House Energy Commerce Committee voted 33-25 tonight to pass sweeping legislation that would overhaul U.S. energy and global warming policy.
Democrats largely held together in support of the 946-page bill shaped over several months of closed-door negotiations and nearly 40 hours of debate this week. Only one Republican supported thebill, as GOP opponents unified against the measure, insisting it was a costly and unattainable measure to be pushing in a tight economy. (Source: E&E)

While Democrats have long been promising success in committee, several Democratic swing votes remained at the center of attention. Reps. John Barrow of Georgia, Jim Matheson of Utah, Mike Ross of Arkansas and Charles Melancon of Louisiana voted with the Republicans against the bill.
On the GOP side, Rep. Mary Bono Mack of California bucked her party leadership and supported the legislation. Mack was the only committee Republican to publicly remain neutral on the climate bill.

"While I still have significant concerns about this bill, particularly with regard to its cost and its failure to recognize innovative technologies like advanced nuclear energy, I believe this is the right
direction for our district, for our nation and for our future," Bono Mack said in a statement.

During the weeklong markup, Democrats defeated a suite of GOP amendments that would have scuttled the cap-and-trade program if it prompted job losses or energy price increases. But lawmakers made several other changes, adding amendments to create a federal "clean energy" bank and a "cash for clunkers" plan that gives consumers $3,500 to $4,500 vouchers toward replacing gas-guzzling cars with efficient models.

Democratic sponsors hailed the bill's historic passage through the
powerful panel, the first time a House committee has ever endorsed a
mandatory cap on the industrial pollutants that scientists have linked
to global warming.

But now comes the hard part. Several committees will have a chance to
assert their jurisdiction over the legislation, with the Democratic
leaders of the Agriculture and Ways and Means committees threatening to
hold up the bill for their own reasons.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is expected to play a key role in
shepherding the legislation onto the floor, perhaps before the August
recess. Senate action remains a work in progress, particularly on the
cap-and-trade provisions that remain well short of the 60 votes needed
to defeat a filibuster.

President Obama backs the climate and energy bill but has largely
stayed away from the details of the legislation.