Pelosi Is Put in Hot Seat on Climate Report
The first congressional hearing to examine the science of the U.N.'s highly publicized climate change report quickly turned into a contentious, partisan fight over environmental policy, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at the center of the maelstrom.
In a hearing room so overwhelmed by observers and reporters that ranking member Ralph Hall said itwas like something out of the Lindbergh kidnapping, Pelosi was prepared to deliver her remarks to the House Committee on Science and Technology on the state of climate change science and the need for legislation to cut greenhouse gases–and leave before a panel of contributing scientists continued as witnesses.
But Rep. James Sensenbrenner cited House rules that witnesses are subject to questioning. Clearly dismayed, Chairman Bart Gordon asked that the panel unanimously waive the rule, butSensenbrenner said he would not. So Pelosi gave her testimony and stayed for questions. The result was a testy preview of the fight to come as Pelosi tries to make good on her pledge to deliver climate change legislation by Independence Day.
Sensenbrenner took issue with Pelosi's remarks that Republican leadership ducked the climate change issue during its 12 years in power, saying that extensive hearings were held on the Kyoto Protocol, with the conclusion reached that it cost far too much in terms of jobs and the economy for too little gained. Sensenbrenner recalled that economists estimated a 60 to 80 percent increase in the cost of fuel to the American consumer if Kyoto was ratified.
"I would ask you to look at the impacts on American jobs," Sensenbrenner said. "We don't want anything we do to result in losing jobs."
In the sparring, Pelosi argued that the United States must lead the world as an innovator of technologies that would help cut greenhouse gases. Such action would mean a new economy for the United States and more jobs.
"I see this as green being gold for this country," the speaker said.
Mindful that the hearing was veering away from climate science and into policy, Republicans worried aloud that they had no witnesses of their own. In what was an occasionally chaotic back-and-forth, Hall mentioned that he had tried to get the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to attend but that this was a hearing on science, not the economy. Gordon pointed out that the minority had had a chance to select witnesses.
Both sides agreed that the Chamber of Commerce would be invited soon. As a parting shot, Democrat Jerry Costello scolded Sensenbrenner for requiring Pelosi to stay when other members who testify before committees are allowed to leave after speaking.
"I am extremely surprised that we are subjecting the speaker of the House to higher standards than we have extended to other members," he said.