House passes landmark climate change bill

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By Edward Felker

The House on Friday narrowly approved a sweeping climate change bill backed by Democratic leaders and President Obama.

By a vote of 219-212, the chamber approved a bill that, starting in 2012, would limit carbon dioxide pollution, require increased usage of renewable energy and require that consumer products be more energy efficient.

Only eight Republicans voted for the bill, and 44 Democrats defected from their party to vote against it. Earlier in the day, the House rejected a Republican alternative to the Democratic climate bill. The proposal, defeated 172-255, would have scuttled a proposed cap-and-trade system to cut greenhouse gases.

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The focus on climate change legislation now shifts to the Senate, where Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada wants to bring a bill to the floor by mid-September. To do so, however, he will have to overcome regional divisions within his party over renewable energy and over the cuts in greenhouse-gas emissions.

The House bill would, for the first time:

• Force cuts in domestic greenhouse-gas emissions by 17 percent in 2020 and 83 percent in 2050 through an expensive cap-and-trade permit system on heavy emitters and the oil and gas industry.

• Mandate greater renewable energy usage.

• Boost appliance and building efficiency standards.

• Pay for domestic and overseas plant and forest conservation.