Climate Change Bill Passes House

June 26, 2009 - by David Moore

Update, 7:30 pm ET, Friday June 26th: “The House of Representatives passed a sweeping climate-change bill Friday – a major victory for President Barack Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi… the vote was extremely close – 219-212, with eight Republicans voting yes and 44 Democrats voting no.” — Politico.

For now, you can see the vote results on the House Clerks’s site: Roll Call, plus some “snap analysis” from Reuters (via the environmental site Grist). Full detailed & interactive roll call information will be available on the OpenCongress H.R. 2998 bill page tomorrow at the latest, after the Library of Congress updates the bill’s status on their end.

Earlier, as of 6:30 pm ET: Wild. Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) has kicked off a filibuster-esque maneuver to delay a vote on H.R. 2998, previously numbered H.R. 2454, the major Climate Change bill that was being pushed by House Democrats today. Here are a few first-take resources on what’s happening this evening ::

  • “House Minority Leader John Boehner slowed Democrats’ attempt to pass a sweeping climate-change legislation Friday evening, reading page-by-page through a 300-page Democratic amendment before allowing a roll call vote.” (Politico)
  • “This new development comes after Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) spent the day furiously whipping her colleagues to round up the votes she needs to pass her signature cap-and-trade measure.” (The Hill)
  • “Boehner’s move came as the House moved close to a showdown vote on the bill. Congressional officials said Capitol telephone systems were near capacity because of calls coming in on the climate bill… With the outcome still in doubt, leaders sought out undecided members to win their votes in favor of the bill (HR 2454). The final tally is likely to be close — only a handful of Republicans were expected to support the bill, and vulnerable Democrats were still weighing their options.” (CQPolitics)
  • “Republicans contend that no one in the House has read text of the amendment, which includes a deal worked out between Agriculture Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) and Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and a slew of other changes worked out in recent days to build support for the bill.” (RollCall)

… more analysis to come, especially of the bill’s next steps & potential hurdles in the Senate, here on the OpenCongress Blog.
Questions, comments? Send us an email: writeus@opencongress.org, or post in the bill’s recent comments forum. (Photo of Rep. Boehner above via OpenCongress news coverage source Daylife.).

 

Comments ?

Close

What's this?

OpenCongress comment boards are an open forum for discussion. Let's build public knowledge about Congress together, so please keep the discussion civil -- no harsh language, subject to our community Comment Policy. Do not post any information here (for example, your name or email) that you do not wish to be public.

resize

Filter Comments to a Rating of at least

Close

What's this?

The Ratings Filter allows you to determine how many user comments to view on pages here on OpenCongress. Setting the filter higher (towards 10) allows you to see only the comments rated "most helpful" by users, while setting the filter lower (towards 0) allows you to see more comments on a page.

resize
5

Displaying 1-30 of 32 total comments.


  • Anonymous Jun 26, 2009 6:45pm
    Overall Rating: 5.0  |  Login to Rate

    Boyd again goes against his constituents again, he needs to get vored out of office....hail to the king boyd!

  • Moderated Comment

  • Anonymous Jun 26, 2009 6:47pm
    Overall Rating: 5.0  |  Login to Rate  |  3 of 4 found useful.

    We're finished as a republic....The House passes this bill and the citizens end up footing the bill....I would like to know the Congressmen and women who will profit from this bill financially...Will we ever find out????.....

  • Moderated Comment

  • Moderated Comment

  • Anonymous Jun 26, 2009 7:57pm
    Overall Rating: 5.0  |  Login to Rate  |  3 of 3 found useful.

    Why should they worry? I bet we're footing THEIR energy bills too. We already pay for their kids in daycare...

  • Anonymous Jun 26, 2009 8:05pm
    Overall Rating: 5.0  |  Login to Rate  |  1 of 5 found useful.

    Great job. I look forward to cleaner air.

  • Anonymous Jul 02, 2009 12:32am
    Overall Rating: 5.0  |  Login to Rate

    what about hyperinflation? +90% to your electricity bill! and so on and so forth.....

  • Anonymous Jun 26, 2009 8:23pm
    Overall Rating: 5.0  |  Login to Rate  |  3 of 3 found useful.

    Any one who though this bill was a good idea has their head so far up their a$$ they are hopeless to ever see the light.

  • Anonymous Jun 26, 2009 9:02pm
    Overall Rating: 5.0  |  Login to Rate  |  0 of 2 found useful.

    Do you understand what is really going on?

  • Moderated Comment

  • Anonymous Jun 26, 2009 8:28pm
    Overall Rating: 5.0  |  Login to Rate  |  3 of 3 found useful.

    Cleaner air? It had nothing to do with cleaner air! What a fool! <-- And, we wonder why we have morons in the congress.

  • Anonymous Jun 26, 2009 8:54pm
    Overall Rating: 5.0  |  Login to Rate  |  2 of 2 found useful.

    Is this about cleaner air or World Govt. control?

  • Anonymous Jun 26, 2009 9:23pm
    Overall Rating: 5.0  |  Login to Rate  |  2 of 2 found useful.

    World Government. No doubt... D.C. no longer represents you or me.

  • Anonymous Jun 26, 2009 9:15pm
    Overall Rating: 5.0  |  Login to Rate  |  2 of 2 found useful.

    All 50 states need to secede at the same time, then regroup with a new contract to interact with each other. Then Maryland and Virginia can build a wall around the District of Criminals and let them do whatever they want in there.

  • lewanna714 Jun 26, 2009 9:34pm
    Overall Rating: 5.0  |  Login to Rate  |  2 of 2 found useful.

    Cap & Tr8tor's are 8 Republicans...
    Mary Bono Mack R (CA)
    Mike Castle R (DW)
    Mark Steven Eirk R (IL)
    Leonard Lance R (NJ)
    Frank LoBiondo R (NJ)
    John McHugh R (NY)
    Dave Reichert R (WA)
    Chris Smith R (NJ)
    VOTE them OUT!

  • Anonymous Jun 26, 2009 10:56pm
    Overall Rating: 5.0  |  Login to Rate  |  1 of 1 found useful.

    There are 44 Democrats that are much smarter than the eight so-called
    Republicans smucks that voted for this communist (H.R.2454) bill that
    does more toward destroying our country than helping it.

  • Anonymous Jun 26, 2009 11:06pm
    Overall Rating: 5.0  |  Login to Rate  |  1 of 1 found useful.

    It's not a done deal yet and I pray that the Senate will defeat it with the help of the people of each state reminding them that this is a bad
    bill that needs to be defeated.

  • Michael1228279 Jun 27, 2009 12:53am
    Overall Rating: 5.0  |  Login to Rate  |  1 of 1 found useful.

    Mary Bono Mack R (CA)
    Mike Castle R (DW)
    Mark Steven Eirk R (IL)
    Leonard Lance R (NJ)
    Frank LoBiondo R (NJ)
    John McHugh R (NY)
    Dave Reichert R (WA)
    Chris Smith R (NJ)

    These people are nothing more than statists in sheep's clothing. VOTE THEM OUT. VOTE THEM OUT. VOTE THEM OUT.

  • kahotep Jun 27, 2009 1:48am
    Overall Rating: 5.0  |  Login to Rate  |  1 of 1 found useful.

    Its funny that people actually think this will give them cleaner air and jobs. In point of fact it exports the manufacturing to countries where there are little to no restrictions on air quality, and with it goes the jobs!

  • rcmck Jun 27, 2009 6:41am
    Overall Rating: 5.0  |  Login to Rate  |  2 of 2 found useful.

    This is yet more proof that we need term limits. Too many of these elected officials vote for themselves - not for their constituents.

  • Moderated Comment

  • Anonymous Jun 27, 2009 8:25am
    Overall Rating: 5.0  |  Login to Rate  |  1 of 1 found useful.

    This was never about clean air. Follow the money, and you will find the rats (Pelosi, Franks, Gore, etc.). There are a lot of elected officials who have positioned themselves to make a bundle on so called "clean energy". I am sick for this country. We must put a stop to this. We must vote them "ALL" out now!

  • Anonymous Jun 27, 2009 8:26am
    Overall Rating: 5.0  |  Login to Rate  |  1 of 1 found useful.

    yes, 2.5 million jobs my friend, down the damn drain!!!!!!!!

  • Moderated Comment

  • Anonymous Jun 27, 2009 11:49am
    Overall Rating: 5.0  |  Login to Rate  |  0 of 1 found useful.

    Please refrain from the bad language. I too am very angry, however, posting opinions using profanity will not help. I am working on a flyer for our 4th of July Tea Party and would like to include this site for those that wish to educate themselves. Is this what you want people to read when they come here?

  • Orris Jun 28, 2009 3:43pm
    Overall Rating: 5.0  |  Login to Rate  |  0 of 1 found useful.

    Fantastic. It passed. Now who is going to the sun to turn down the thermostat that is making the Earth warmer? Any suggestions?

  • mepncal Jun 28, 2009 10:21pm
    Overall Rating: 5.0  |  Login to Rate  |  0 of 1 found useful.

    We NEED to travel toward the Kyoto protocals. The USA can be the forerunners of renewable energy. Wind solar and yes, even nuclear power needs to gain maximum momentum very very soon so we can get away from oil and dirty coal (don't think our "blessing" as someone called it won't find it's way to the marketplace). We're not losing out on anything that wouldn't have happened anyway. The passing of HR 2454 just forces the US people to get to work sooner. Thank you people with foresight.

  • mjbirdfl Jun 29, 2009 3:24pm
    Overall Rating: 5.0  |  Login to Rate

    John, thanks for doing your best to defeat this s--t bill as you called it. You are correct. It will kill jobs, the economy further and our rights to privacy. Send comments about when it come time to sell your house- many people will die when they read that. The housing market is far enough in the tank as it is.

    How about 'drill, baby, drill' if we want to cut the impact of foreign oil! Don't give up the fight!

  • Anonymous Jun 30, 2009 7:42am
    Overall Rating: 5.0  |  Login to Rate

    it is becoming astonishingly clear that the senate and house of representatives are so corrupt, making the old soviet union a bastion of freedom and democracy. how many millions will ex vice president al gore reap from this supposed climate change bologna.



OpenCongress is a free and open-source joint project of two non-profit organizations, the Participatory Politics Foundation and the Sunlight Foundation.