Thread: McConnell seeks Senate showdown on EPA climate rules

McConnell seeks Senate showdown on EPA climate rules
By Andrew Restuccia - 03/15/11 12:38 PM ET

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) moved Tuesday to force a political showdown over Environmental Protection Agency climate change regulations on the floor of the Senate.

McConnell introduced an amendment to a small-business bill that would permanently block the EPA from regulating greenhouse gas emissions from stationary sources like power plants and refineries. The small-business bill is currently on the Senate floor.

“These new regulations would destroy jobs at a time when Americans need them most,â€

House GOP rejects amendments that say climate change is real
By Andrew Restuccia - 03/15/11 11:07 AM ET

House Republicans rejected amendments offered Tuesday by Democrats that called on Congress to accept the scientific consensus that climate change is occurring, it is caused in large part by human activity and it is a threat to human health.

The amendments, offered at an Energy and Commerce Committee markup of legislation to block Environmental Protection Agency climate change rules, are part of an effort by House Democrats to get Republicans on the record on climate science.

Committee ranking Democrat Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) offered an amendment Tuesday that called on Congress to agree that climate change is occurring. The amendment failed on a party-line vote of 20-31. No Republicans voted for the amendment.

The amendment says that "Congress accepts the scientific finding of the Environmental Protection Agency that 'warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising global average sea level.'"

"This finding is so obviously correct that there should be no need to offer the amendment," Waxman said.

The broad consensus among scientists is that climate change is occurring in large part because of human activity.

House Republicans also rejected an amendment offered by Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) Tuesday that called on Congress to accept the scientific consensus that climate change is occurring in large part due to human activity. The amendment failed in a 21-30 party-line vote. No Republicans voted in favor of the amendment.

DeGette's amendment says “’the scientific evidence is compelling’ that elevated concentrations of greenhouse gases resulting from anthropogenic emissions ‘are the root cause of recently observed climate change.’â€

I am so sorry for this for this hoot owl is from my state he just narrowly won this time. He is not well liked here in KY. we would be glad to give him away to anybody that wants him. MITCH. is not your freind MITCH is for MITCH. just sit back and look at his record and you will see he has not helped the working man. MITCH. has more investment in oil than anyone in congress he owns much of ASHLAND OIL here in KY. Think he is worried about gas prices only when the price of oil goes down he worries. But i can say this MITCH came to KY. when he was 6 years old from ALABAMA thanks ALABAMA so now we get the blame for him.

Welcome to ALIPAC duckman. Don't beat yourself up to bad. You fellas down there in the bluegrass are good folks for the most the part. Heck, up here in Hoosierville we gotta put up with the likes of a Lugar! I would say we would be willing to trade yous a Lugar for a Mitch,....yet I think both of us would end up with the short(?) end of the stick!