It was a tough fight, full of compromises and concessions, but on June 26, the U.S. climate change bill, properly known as HR 2454 or the Waxman-Markey bill, passed the House of Representatives in a 219-212 vote. The bill is a far cry from its original form (too far according to many environmentalists), but nevertheless, it marks a historic stand on climate change.
As it now exists, HR 2454 commits the country to cutting carbon emissions by 17% by 2020, and by 83% by 2050. It also sets up a national cap-and-trade system, which caps the emissions companies are allowed to produce, but allows more efficient companies to trade the remainder of their allowances to companies that cannot meet the goals. This provides for some companies to exceed the emissions cap without jeopardizing the overall emissions-reduction goals.
In the end, however, these targets are smaller than those originally proposed, and concessions made to utilities (particularly those dependent on coal-burning), automakers, steel companies, natural gas drillers, and refiners (among others) have many environmentalists concerned that the integrity of the bill has been undermined. Greenpeace even called upon Congress to vote it down.
Concern is also growing over what further concessions might have to be made to get the bill through Senate, where, according to Tom Harkin, an Iowa Democrat, it will face another "very tough" fight.
The bill's creators remain positive, however. Co-author Edward J. Markey called the bill "the most important energy and environment bill in [the] nation's history." Also remaining positive is President Barack Obama's energy and climate policy coordinator, Carol Browner, who remains "confident that...comprehensive energy legislation will pass the Senate."
Only time will tell if this optimism is warranted, but for now, we're happy to call the passage of this bill through the House a step in the right direction. It may not be as big a step as environmentalists hoped, but it's a step nonetheless.