Hill Heat: Waxman Plans To Challenge Dingell For Control Of Energy And CommerceScience Policy Legislation Actiontag:www.hillheat.com,2005:TypoTypo2008-11-08T11:48:20-05:00Wonk Roomurn:uuid:f902560b-8e79-4da2-b5f3-d899350907db2008-11-05T16:32:00-05:002008-11-08T11:48:20-05:00Waxman Plans To Challenge Dingell For Control Of Energy And Commerce<p><i>From the <a href='http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2008/11/05/waxman-vs-dingell/'>Wonk Room</a>.</i></p>
<div style='float:right;margin-left:10px;font-size:xx-small;width:251px;line-height:normal;margin-top:12px'><img src='http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/dingell_waxman.JPG' alt='Dingell-Waxman' /><br />
John Dingell (D-MI) and Henry Waxman (D-CA)</div>Roll Call reports that Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) plans to challenge Rep John Dingell (D-MI) “for <a href="http://www.rollcall.com/news/29885-1.html">chairmanship of the influential Energy and Commerce Committee</a>.” The Committee has jurisdiction over a <a href='http://energycommerce.house.gov/membios/110_jurisdiction.shtml'>wide array of issues</a>, including energy policy, health care, and interstate commerce.
<p>In the 110th Congress, Dingell and Waxman took very different stances on global warming issues. In stark contrast, <a href="http://www.hillheat.com/articles/2008/01/16/at-the-auto-show-dingell-supports-epas-denial-of-california-waiver">Dingell opposed California’s petition</a> to set automotive emission standards for greenhouse gases, while <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/2008/06/13/waxman-threatens-contempt-resolution-for-epas-johnson-and-ombs-dudley/">Waxman led hearings</a> to investigate why the <span class="caps">EPA</span> denied the California waiver.</p>
<p>The two also took different paths after Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) called in January, 2007, for rapid action on legislation that would limit greenhouse emissions. Waxman introduced the <a href="http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2007/03/waxman_introduc.html">Safe Climate Act</a> in March to reduce emissions by 80 percent by 2050. Dingell, a longtime <a href="http://saveoureverglades.org/article2.php?id=71">defender of the auto industry</a>, instead worked through a series of hearings and white papers on this <a href='http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1627016,00.html'>complex issue</a> to introduce <a href="http://climateintel.com/2008/10/17/automotive-industry-takes-note-of-dingell-boucher/">draft legislation this October</a>.</p>
<p>Dingell “<a href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/05/AR2007120502699.html'>put aside</a>” the global warming legislation to push a provision in the 2007 energy bill that <a href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/05/AR2007120502699.html'>increased fuel economy standards</a> for the first time in decades. When signed by President Bush in December, it marked a major achievement for the environment and the economy—but has since been used by the Bush administration for an <a href="http://auto.ihs.com/news/2008/fuel-economy-california.htm">excuse for inaction</a> on mandatory global warming regulations.</p>
<p>As Roll Call writes, “The move marks a major showdown between two Democratic powerhouses.”</p>
E&E News <a href="http://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/print/2008/11/05/1">reports</a>:
<blockquote> “<strong>This is a fight for all the marbles</strong>,” said one refining industry lobbyist. “If Henry gets this, my god, given the scope of jurisdiction of the Energy and Commerce Committee, <strong>all hell will break loose</strong> legislatively if Waxman chairs this thing.”</blockquote><p><i>From the <a href='http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2008/11/05/waxman-vs-dingell/'>Wonk Room</a>.</i></p>
<div style='float:right;margin-left:10px;font-size:xx-small;width:251px;line-height:normal;margin-top:12px'><img src='http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/dingell_waxman.JPG' alt='Dingell-Waxman' /><br />
John Dingell (D-MI) and Henry Waxman (D-CA)</div>Roll Call reports that Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) plans to challenge Rep John Dingell (D-MI) “for <a href="http://www.rollcall.com/news/29885-1.html">chairmanship of the influential Energy and Commerce Committee</a>.” The Committee has jurisdiction over a <a href='http://energycommerce.house.gov/membios/110_jurisdiction.shtml'>wide array of issues</a>, including energy policy, health care, and interstate commerce.
<p>In the 110th Congress, Dingell and Waxman took very different stances on global warming issues. In stark contrast, <a href="http://www.hillheat.com/articles/2008/01/16/at-the-auto-show-dingell-supports-epas-denial-of-california-waiver">Dingell opposed California’s petition</a> to set automotive emission standards for greenhouse gases, while <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/2008/06/13/waxman-threatens-contempt-resolution-for-epas-johnson-and-ombs-dudley/">Waxman led hearings</a> to investigate why the <span class="caps">EPA</span> denied the California waiver.</p>
<p>The two also took different paths after Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) called in January, 2007, for rapid action on legislation that would limit greenhouse emissions. Waxman introduced the <a href="http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2007/03/waxman_introduc.html">Safe Climate Act</a> in March to reduce emissions by 80 percent by 2050. Dingell, a longtime <a href="http://saveoureverglades.org/article2.php?id=71">defender of the auto industry</a>, instead worked through a series of hearings and white papers on this <a href='http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1627016,00.html'>complex issue</a> to introduce <a href="http://climateintel.com/2008/10/17/automotive-industry-takes-note-of-dingell-boucher/">draft legislation this October</a>.</p>
<p>Dingell “<a href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/05/AR2007120502699.html'>put aside</a>” the global warming legislation to push a provision in the 2007 energy bill that <a href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/05/AR2007120502699.html'>increased fuel economy standards</a> for the first time in decades. When signed by President Bush in December, it marked a major achievement for the environment and the economy—but has since been used by the Bush administration for an <a href="http://auto.ihs.com/news/2008/fuel-economy-california.htm">excuse for inaction</a> on mandatory global warming regulations.</p>
<p>As Roll Call writes, “The move marks a major showdown between two Democratic powerhouses.”</p>
E&E News <a href="http://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/print/2008/11/05/1">reports</a>:
<blockquote> “<strong>This is a fight for all the marbles</strong>,” said one refining industry lobbyist. “If Henry gets this, my god, given the scope of jurisdiction of the Energy and Commerce Committee, <strong>all hell will break loose</strong> legislatively if Waxman chairs this thing.”</blockquote>