What was the final vote in the US House of Representatives on the Cap-and-Trade climate bill?
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act also referred as the cap and trade bill, in a historic vote on Friday to advance climate legislation that President Barack Obama has promoted during his administration to put the country into a clean energy economy path. The bill was approved with with a vote of 219 to 212. Supporters of the bill needed a simple majority of at least 218 votes. The climate bill was designed to slash emissions of greenhouse gases – blamed for global warming. The legislation is also a move to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil and spur creation of green jobs for the clean energy industry, including wind, solar, geothermal power, safe nuclear energy and cleaner coal. Sources: http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20090626/uhouse-passes-historic-climate-open-clean-energy-economy.
WASHINGTON (AFP) — The US House of Representatives have narrowly passed historic legislation to cut pollution blamed for global warming, handing President Barack Obama a major, hard-fought victory. After hours of bitter debate, lawmakers voted 219-212 to put the US economy under a “cap-and-trade” system for managing carbon emissions in a move its backers said would create jobs and restore shaky US leadership on climate change. “Just remember these four words for what this legislation means — jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs. Let’s vote for jobs,” Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi exhorted her colleagues minutes before the vote. Republican House Minority Leader John Boehner warned the measure would send energy costs skyrocketing and denounced it as “the biggest job-killing bill that has ever been on the floor of the House.” The pitched political battle on how to confront global warming now shifts to the US Senate, where the prospects for action this year are uncertain and where outspoken foe
The House of Representatives on Friday voted by a narrow 219 to 212 to approve a hotly contested energy bill intended to cap US greenhouse gas emissions. The legislation still has a long road to travel before it becomes law. But the House vote was a crucial victory for President Obama on one of his legislative priorities, and may give the White House political momentum as it pushes lawmakers for passage of another big item on its agenda, healthcare reform. Sources: http://features.csmonitor.
