Obama advisers endorse House Dems' climate bill
— -- The Obama administration said Wednesday that a Democratic House proposal to tackle climate change would create jobs and be an investment in clean energy technology, rejecting criticism from some Republicans that the increase in energy costs will undermine the economy.
Top environmental advisers to President Obama broadly endorsed the draft bill, which would cap greenhouse gases and reduce the nation's reliance on fossil fuels. Even so, administration officials cautioned that the White House will work with House Democrats to fine-tune the legislation in coming weeks.
"Three important players in this issue that represent the president believe the principles that are laid out in this bill are very strong principles and principles that the president and his team can work with as the bill is worked through Congress," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who was joined by Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson and Energy Secretary Steven Chu at the House hearing. All three said the bill would reduce dependence on foreign oil, spur green jobs and reduce global warming.
Republican lawmakers called the draft climate bill, which reflects the views of House Democratic leaders, a massive energy tax because it will put a price on carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels. "The proposal for cap-and-tax will raise the energy rates for producing everything in the United States of America," said Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich. "If we dramatically raise the rates of electricity we will not be competitive when it comes to building anything."
Just how much the draft bill would increase energy costs remains unclear, even as the cost issue loomed prominently over the hearing by the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
A preliminary analysis released by the EPA found that the average U.S. household would pay an extra $98 to $140 a year to achieve the emissions reductions mandated. That estimate assumed broad increases in energy efficiency, a shift away from fossil fuels and the distribution of 40% of money collected from auctioning off emission credits to U.S. households to help pay energy bills.
