Despite the absence of Republican Senators, democrats passed Sens. Kerry and Boxer’s cap and trade bill out of committee today:
Democrats on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee ignored a Republican boycott and used their majority to approve the legislation that would require U.S. industry to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases 20 percent by 2020, from 2005 levels.
“I think this is a great signal for Copenhagen that there’s a will to do what it takes to advance this issue,” committee Chairman Barbara Boxer told reporters after her panel voted.
The committee vote also came as international negotiators held a contentious climate change meeting in Barcelona, their final session before the Copenhagen summit starts December 7.
The bill’s goal is to cut carbon emissions by 20 percent by 2020, a move President Obama says will cause the prices of electricity to skyrocket:
The Democrats continue to pass legislation that hurts the Americans’ they supposedly fight for: the middle class and below.
