Facing resistance from members of his own party, US President Barack Obama wants to meet with all 36 Democrats on the House energy committee to reach agreement on climate and energy legislation.
A White House aide said Obama planned to meet with the lawmakers yesterday to discuss two of his key domestic priorities — legislation to cut the emissions linked to global warming by requiring cleaner sources of energy and healthcare reform.
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman and Ed Markey unveiled a draft bill in March that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with a proposal Obama called for in his campaign.
POSTPONED
But the committee has postponed writing the final version of the bill because of concerns raised by moderate Democrats about the cost.
Obama’s budget expects to raise US$650 billion by auctioning off permits to companies that release heat-trapping gases, with the bulk of the money going back to families to help with higher energy prices.
Democrats from coal and industrial states are pushing Waxman and Markey to distribute at least some of those permits for free to ease costs.
IMPACT
Meanwhile, House Republicans were due to hold their own energy summit yesterday to highlight how the Waxman-Markey bill, which they call a national energy tax, will impact middle-class families and small businesses.
Also, a bipartisan group of seven House members yesterday were due to unveil rival energy legislation. Led by Neil Abercrombie, a Hawaii Democrat, and Tim Murphy, a Pennsylvania Republican, the group says their plan will “fuel the American economy rather than fueling partisan debate.”
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