Climate Change Bill Likely To Pass Senate Committee

The full Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works appears poised to pass the Lieberman-Warner climate change bill. The first of more than 180 amendments that have been filed dealt with one of the most contentious issues—whether U.S. legislation would sunset if China and India didn’t follow suit.

It was seen by both sides as a bellwether of the final vote. It passed 11-8, with Sen. John Warner (R-Va.) joining all nine Democrats—including Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) by proxy—as well as Independent Democrat Joe Lieberman of Connecticut.

The committee chairwoman, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) warned early that the mark-up, starting today, could go for as long as three days, but passage of this major and controversial legislation through committee now seems inevitable.