Key Republicans today axed a "Sense of the Congress" resolution expressing concern about global warming from spending legislation for the Environmental Protection Agency.
They knocked it out on a technicality.
Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, made a procedural point of order against the provision, claiming it constitutes legislation on an appropriations measure. The House Rules Committee permitted the maneuver following a plea by Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas).
The resolution, adopted last week by the Appropriations Committee, acknowledges threats from record greenhouse gas concentrations on the Earth's climate and also urges action on a new U.S. policy that does not harm the economy and includes international trading partners. A similar measure, championed by Senators Pete Domenici (R-NM) and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), was approved by the Senate last year.