House Narrowly Passes Landmark Climate Bill [View All]

House Narrowly Passes Landmark Climate Bill

By Steven T. Dennis
Roll Call Staff
June 26, 2009, 7:17 p.m.

The House passed sweeping climate change legislation on a 219-212 vote Friday afternoon, delivering a major victory for President Barack Obama and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to cap the first half of the year.

Obama, Pelosi and Democratic leaders had launched an all-out lobbying effort at the start of the week and were whipping the bill right up to the vote. It was unclear all day whether Democrats had enough votes to clear the package, with leaders acknowledging the vote would be razor-thin.

Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) stalled the passage of the bill for over an hour by reading the bulk of a 300-page Peterson-Waxman compromise amendment on the House floor.

He contended that no Member of the House had time to read the lengthy amendment because it was filed at 3 a.m. Friday.

Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) attempted to stop Boehner about 10 minutes into the Ohio Republican’s one-man filibuster and requested that Speaker Pro Tem Ellen Tauscher (D-Calif.), who was confirmed Friday to a State Department position, limit the time that Boehner could consume.

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