October 27, 2009
Posted: October 27th, 2009 01:00 PM ET

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Top Democrats put the issue of climate change back in the spotlight Tuesday, debating legislation to cut greenhouse gas emissions while announcing $3.4 billion in new clean energy funds.

A key congressional committee began hearings on a "cap-and-trade" bill requiring emissions to be cut by more than 80 percent over the next four decades.

Questions relating to global warming have been among the most politically contentious in recent years. Democrats are generally more receptive to proposals designed to curb energy consumption in order to slow climate change; leading Republicans continue to express concern about the necessity and economic impact of such measures.

President Barack Obama has made the push for greater investment in a clean energy agenda one of his top domestic priorities.

Attempting to move that agenda forward, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee kicked off hearings on the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act. Supporters say the bill would reduce nationwide greenhouse gas emissions 20 percent by 2020 and 83 percent by 2050 through a cap-and-trade program under which companies would buy and sell emissions credits.

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Filed under: Democrats • Energy • President Obama • Senate


Victim of Democratic Greed   October 27th, 2009 2:59 pm ET

Dump Barbara Boxer.........California is broke and we can't afford her.

Obama = Trickle up poverty   October 27th, 2009 2:56 pm ET

Democrats have never met a tax or fee they didn't like. Cost is no object for this bunch.

SLM   October 27th, 2009 2:43 pm ET

Cap and Tax is a disaster for this country. Higher energy bills and the loss of more jobs for another Obama experiement that will fail as badly as his pork filled stimulus. If Obama were truly concerned about global warming and green house gasses he would get off that tax payer provided campaigning jet and get to work, doing the job we hired him to do. You want to save the planet.........ban all politicians from frivilous private flights, not tax the living day lights out of us.

LacrosseMom   October 27th, 2009 2:27 pm ET

Green energy is the future!

Green energy will FREE the U.S. from Middle-Eastern OIL!

Green energy will create JOBS!

Fools and their freedoms are soon parted   October 27th, 2009 2:21 pm ET

The only thing you fools in DC should be capping is Obama's appearences

John D.   October 27th, 2009 2:21 pm ET

Get going on this one early folks. Let your imbicile in Washington know this is not what we need or can afford at this time. Tell them to vote no to Cap and Trade. Another idiotic Democrat idea.

A. Smith   October 27th, 2009 2:14 pm ET

Well it seems only right that the Democratic Party includes and has a ethical and moral approach to environmental issues.

For some 20 years, the Republican Party stood on the platform of creating many of the worlds most toxic dump sites and Superfund sites in America's heartlands. And either instructing the US Justice department to deny foreign attempts for help and compensation or block American citizens attempts for a cleaner future in America.

Like the multi-trillion dollar health care industry, BIG OIL is not going to go down to following established moral and legal standards without spending billions of subsidized taxpayer dollars fighting against any changes to their corporations bottom line of gross revenues.

Fair, Moral and Ethical Ecological Standards will be the next major battlefield after America's Health-care war is tided up.

A. Smith
Oregon

Pee Wee   October 27th, 2009 2:14 pm ET

If they'd just relax onerous regulations on people trying to start and run businesses, this stuff would take care of itself. If my wife spent money like the folks in DC, she'd be single again!

D. Tree   October 27th, 2009 2:13 pm ET

If America can become the leader in alternate fuels and green technology, we can transform our economy in such a positive way.

We are throwing away billions of dollars to Oil and letting China manufacture all our goods.

We need to revitalize our own manufacturing industry right here in the USA, and Green tech is the way to do it.

Come on people, let's get with the future!

S Callahan   October 27th, 2009 2:12 pm ET

I like to think out of the box a little, call it eccentric if you want. But , just maybe if these politicans can figure out a way with the science people how to rake the junk out of the space zone perhaps our climate will go back to normal.....just a thought.....
I still don't buy the climate change scene....put some trees back in the ground, stop polluting our rivers and oceans...now that would start the healing process of our great earth.....and nature can work as intended.

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