WASHINGTON — House Republicans say it is too early to debate a climate change bill because a major element of the legislation is missing.
WASHINGTON — House Republicans say it is too early to debate a climate change bill because a major element of the legislation is missing. In a letter sent Tuesday to Democratic leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, all 23 Republicans on the panel say the draft bill is not ready to be discussed because it does not address how permits to release greenhouse gases will be distributed. Four days of hearings start Tuesday afternoon on legislation that would limit emissions of the gases blamed for global warming and revolutionize how the nation uses and produces energy. But the cost of the legislation to industry and consumers will depend on whether the permits are sold or given away for free. The Republicans say that this issue and others — such as the role of nuclear power — warrant more hearings. "The manner in which you will address this issue is the cornerstone of the legislation; without it, the bill is simply not finished and not ripe to be marked up or accurately discussed in the context of hearing," the Republicans wrote. A spokesman for Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., who co-wrote the bill with Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., said that more than a dozen hearings have been held on clean energy and climate in the last few months. And during the last session of Congress, the energy panel and the Select Committee for Energy independence and Global Warming held 76 hearings with 400 witnesses. "The total number of hearings on climate policy held by the Republicans in the eight years they were in control? Zero," said Markey spokesman Eben Burnham-Snyder. This week’s sessions will help shape final legislation that Democratic leaders hope the House will pass by the end of the summer. More than 60 witnesses are expected to testify. They will include former Vice President Al Gore, members of President Barack Obama’s Cabinet, and representatives of environmental groups, electricity producers, auto manufacturers and renewable energy companies. ______ Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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