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Time Running Out for Committee Markup of Climate Change Bill

The eight House committees that have jurisdiction over the American Clean Energy and Security Act, the cap-and-trade bill, have very few days remaining to review the legislation. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is pushing for a floor vote on the bill as early as next week before the Fourth of July recess.

25X'25 has called for specific amendments to the measure contending that as passed out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee H.R. 2454 fails to provide the right policy framework necessary to generate the low-cost and near-term carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas reduction services available from agriculture and forestry.

During testimony last week Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack predicted agriculture and forestry's role in cap-and-trade would be recognized and appreciated at the end of the day. 25X'25 believes there is a need for USDA to take a leadership role in a climate change regulatory scheme.