Hill Heat: Climate Change Bills Comparison

Climate Change Bills Comparison

The Cunctator — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 12:51:00 -0500

Resources From the Future has posted a comparison of the climate change bills introduced in the 100th Congress, including

Bingaman-Specter’s Low Carbon Economy Act (S. 1766)
Udall-Petri discussion draft
Lieberman-McCain Climate Stewardship and Innovation Act (S. 280)
Kerry-Snow Global Warming Reduction Act (S. 485)
Waxman Safe Climate Act (HR 1590)
Sanders-Boxer Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act (S. 309)
Feinstein-Carper Electric Utility Cap and Trade Act (S. 317), electric utility cap-and-trade
Alexander-Lieberman Clean Air/Climate Change Act (S. 1168), electric utility cap-and-trade
Stark Save Our Climate Act (HR 2069), a carbon tax bill

This chart (pdf) compares the cap-and-trade mechanisms, and This graph (pdf) compares the emission reduction goals of the bills. View the graph below the fold.

"Climate Change Bills Comparison" by Seth Baum

Sun, 15 Jul 2007 19:44:41 -0500

I think I saw somewhere (can’t recall where) that Congress is currently focusing on energy and will address climate change in the fall. Do you know anything about this? If this is the case, then when will the major lobbying efforts on climate policy be- while the legislation is on the table or sometime before?

"Climate Change Bills Comparison" by The Cunctator

Sun, 15 Jul 2007 19:09:13 -0500

From GovTrack:

S. 280 was introduced to The Committee on Environmental and Public Works (EPW) in January
S. 317 was introduced to EPW in January
S. 309 was introduced to EPW in February
S. 485 was introduced to the Finance Committee in February
HR 1590 was introduced to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
S. 1168 was introduced to EPW in April
S. 1766 was introduced to EPW in July

In short, there has been no action on the bills other than the introduction. In the Senate, the Committee chairs, with nudging from the Majority Leader, choose when and whether to consider the bills in committee. In the House, the Speaker determines the timeline. Barbara Boxer is the chair of EPW and Max Baucus is the Finance chair. In the House, John Dingell is the chair of Energy and Commerce and Tom Lantos is the Foreign Affairs chair. Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi are, of course, the Majority Leader and Speaker of the House respectively.

"Climate Change Bills Comparison" by Seth Baum

Sun, 15 Jul 2007 12:01:38 -0500

Do we know how far along these various pieces of legislation are?