The New Media Journal | All GOP Senators to Boycott Boxer-Kerry Climate Bill Hearing: "The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is engaged in public partisan warfare over a climate bill, a battle that foreshadows the deep struggle the Obama administration will face as Democrats attempt to push a version of the sweeping legislation through the Senate.
Chairwoman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) announced last week that she will proceed with a markup of the bill beginning Tuesday, even though all seven Republicans on the committee say they plan to boycott the proceedings.
Republicans say that EPW rules prohibit Boxer from holding a markup without two Republicans present, but Boxer aides indicated on Sunday that they still planned to attempt the hearing. “Sen. Boxer has said that she will use all the tools at her disposal to move forward,” said a Boxer aide.
The boycott, led by the committee’s two most moderate Republicans, Sens. George Voinovich of Ohio and Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, illustrates the difficulty for Democrats in getting significant bipartisan backing for their climate bill — even among GOP lawmakers who support taking action to combat climate change.
“I’m willing to work with the people on the other side of the aisle. But if you jam this thing through here, it’s not going to be good,” Voinovich said on Thursday.
The Obama administration has so far been unable to attract significant Republican backing for major initiatives like health care and the economic stimulus package.
On climate, the two parties are battling over a handful of Republicans who might support a bill, including Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, Dick Lugar of Indiana and Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine.
Republican leaders see cap and trade as an issue that could severely hurt Democratic chances in the midterm elections, and they’re pressuring their members to vote against the bill to keep their caucus as united as possible."
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