WASHINGTON (AP) – House Republicans are moving forward with a plan to block a key element of President Barack Obama’s strategy for fighting climate change, defying a veto threat from the president.
Lawmakers began debate on a bill Wednesday that would allow states to opt out of the Obama administration’s plan to limit carbon pollution from coal-fired power plants if the state’s governor determines it would cause significant rate hikes for electricity or harm reliability of service.
The bill, sponsored by Republican Rep. Ed Whitfield of Kentucky, also would delay the climate rule until all court challenges are completed.
Obama said in a statement that the bill undermines public health protections of his Clean Power Plan and could slow or stop U.S. progress in cutting dangerous carbon dioxide pollution from power plants.