Climate Change Legislation in the 109th Congress

th
Climate Change Legislation in the 109 Congress
Updated January 3, 2007
Brent D. Yacobucci
Specialist in Energy Policy
Resources, Science, and Industry Division



Climate Change Legislation in the 109 Congress
Summary
Climate change and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were issues in the 109th
Congress, as they had been in past Congresses. Bills directly addressing climate
change issues ranged from those focused primarily on climate change research to
comprehensive emissions cap-and-trade programs for the six greenhouse gases
covered under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Additional bills focused on GHG reporting and registries, or on power plant
emissions of carbon dioxide, as part of wider controls on pollutant emissions.
Within several broad categories, the bills varied in their approaches to climate
change issues. For example, some bills covering research issues focused solely on
modeling the effects of future climate change, whereas others addressed the
development of monitoring technologies. Bills focusing on technology deployment
did so through tax incentives and credit-based programs within the United States or
by promoting deployment in developing countries. Bills with greenhouse gas
registries were either voluntary or mandatory and varied in the entities covered and
the gases registered. Bills with emission reduction requirements also varied in the
entities covered, the gases limited, and the target emissions levels.
Most notably, on August 8, 2005, President Bush signed the Energy Policy Act
of 2005 (P.L. 109-58, H.R. 6). Among other provisions, Title XVI of the bill
established programs to promote the development and deployment of technologies
to reduce greenhouse gas intensity.
This report briefly discusses the basic concepts on which these bills were based
and compares major provisions of the bills in each of the following categories:
climate change research, technology deployment, GHG reporting and registries, and
emissions reduction programs.



Contents
Energy Bill Amendments........................................2
Climate Change Research Bills...................................2
Deployment of Greenhouse Gas Reduction Technology................3
GHG Reporting and Registry Bills................................4
GHG Emission-Reduction Bills...................................5
Carbon Dioxide Reduction Bills..............................5
Comprehensive GHG Emissions Reductions....................6
Safety Valve Bills.........................................6
Comparison of Emissions Reduction Bills..........................7
List of Tables
Table 1. Market-Based Greenhouse Gas Emission Caps....................7
Appendix 1. Climate Change Bills in the 109th Congress..................10
Appendix 2. Key Provisions of Climate Change Legislation in the

109th Congress...............................................14



Climate Change Legislation
th
in the 109 Congress
Climate change is viewed as a global issue, but proposed responses generally
require action at the national level. In 1992, the United States ratified the United
Nations’ Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which called on
industrialized countries to take the lead in making voluntary efforts to reduce
greenhouse gases.1 Over the past 15 years, a variety of voluntary and regulatory
actions have been proposed or undertaken in the United States, including monitoring
of utility carbon dioxide emissions, improved appliance efficiency, and incentives for
developing renewable energy sources. In 2001, President George W. Bush rejected
the Kyoto Protocol to the UNFCCC, which called for legally binding commitments
by developed countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Instead, the Bush
Administration has focused on reducing the greenhouse gas intensity2 of the U.S.
economy. In the meantime, some states and local governments, as well as private
entities, have taken actions to reduce emissions and limit the potential impacts of
climate change. In light of these actions, a number of bills were introduced in
Congress to address climate change.
In the 109th Congress, numerous bills were introduced that directly or indirectly
address climate change. Several bills addressed the climate change issue directly,
either through emissions limits, incentives for reductions, or research and information
gathering on climate change and greenhouse gas emissions mitigation. This report
describes and compares bills that directly addressed climate change, as opposed to
those that addressed other issues but could have had ancillary impacts (e.g., energy
efficiency and conservation). Topics covered by these bills fall into four major
categories: (1) those that would have promoted research on the effects of climate
change and on methods to measure and predict climate change; (2) those that would
have created incentives for the deployment of emission-reducing technologies in the
United States or other countries; (3) those that would have established greenhouse
gas (GHG) monitoring systems as a basis for research or for any potential reduction
program; and (4) those that would have established market-based programs to
directly limit greenhouse gas emissions. These categories are not mutually exclusive,
and several bills addressed more than one of the above categories. The major
provisions of these bills are categorized in Appendix 1 and summarized in
Appendix 2.


1 Under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC),
greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide (CO2, the most ubiquitous and primary greenhouse
gas), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons
(PFCs), and sulfur hexafluorane (SF6). Some other greenhouse gases are controlled under
the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer.
2 Greenhouse gas intensity is a measure of the amount of carbon dioxide (or equivalent)
emitted per unit of gross domestic product.

In several cases, bill sponsors introduced modified versions of their climate
change bills. For the purposes of the discussion below, it is assumed that the newest
version supersedes earlier versions. These bills include S. 1151 for S. 342 (McCain);
S. 883 for S. 386 (Hagel); S. 887 for S. 388 (Hagel); and S. 1203 for S. 387 (Hagel).
Energy Bill Amendments
On August 8, 2005, President Bush signed the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (P.L.
109-58). Title XVI established a voluntary national program designed to accelerate
demonstration and deployment of less-carbon-intensive technology to encourage
voluntary reductions in greenhouse gases. The title attempts to support actions
focused on reducing U.S. carbon intensity (the ratio of greenhouse gas emissions per
unit of gross domestic product). The program would not establish a requirement to
reduce emissions. This title also establishes a program to encourage exports of
carbon intensity-reducing technologies to developing countries.
As part of the Senate debate over the Energy Policy Act of 2005, several
amendments on climate change were offered. S.Amdt. 817, which inserted a new
Title XVI in the bill, incorporated language from S. 883 and S. 887. This
amendment was agreed to on a 66-29 vote. These provisions are similar to those
included in the final version of the bill. The House version of the bill did not
expressly address climate change issues.
Not included in the final law was Section 1612 of the Senate bill (S.Amdt. 866),
which expressed the Sense of the Senate that human activities are a substantial cause
of greenhouse gas accumulation in the atmosphere, causing average temperatures to
rise. Further, the resolution stated that “Congress should enact a comprehensive and
effective national program of mandatory market-based limits and incentives on
emissions of greenhouse gases that slow, stop, and reverse the growth of such
emissions at a rate and in a manner that — (1) will not significantly harm the United
States economy; and (2) will encourage comparable action by other nations that are
major trading partners and key contributors to global emissions.” This was the first
Sense of the Senate resolution on climate change since S.Res. 98 in 1997, which
voiced concern over the economic effects of emissions limits and the sense that
developing countries must participate in meaningful action to control emissions.
Similar to S.Amdt. 866, S.J.Res. 5 also urged U.S. action on climate change, but this
resolution saw no action after being referred to committee.
The Senate also debated whether to adopt S.Amdt. 826, which contained
language similar to S. 1151. This amendment would have established a mandatory
cap-and-trade system to limit greenhouse gas emissions from covered entities to year

2000 levels by 2010. This amendment was rejected on a 38-60 vote.


Climate Change Research Bills
Global climate change is a complex issue. While most scientists agree that the
climate is changing in response to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, uncertainties
concerning the causes and the effects of climate change remain and are a continuing



subject of extensive scientific research.3 Further, research is ongoing into
technologies to improve efficiency, reduce fossil fuel consumption, and sequester
carbon dioxide emissions.
Research Bills. One bill in the 109th Congress, S. 245 (Collins), focused
solely on climate change research.4 It called for the development and testing of
climate change models based on historic climatic changes, and to incorporate
nonlinear aspects of geophysical systems that could lead to abrupt changes in climate.
Research Provisions in Broader Bills. Several bills included climate
change research provisions as part of a broader climate change legislation.
Specifically, research in S. 1151, S. 3698, S. 4039, H.R. 759, and H.R. 2828 would
have focused on abrupt climate change research and new climate change
measurement technologies. H.R. 5049 would have established a new Advanced
Research Projects Agency within the Department of Energy.
Deployment of Greenhouse Gas Reduction Technology
In the 109th Congress, several bills would have promoted the deployment and
diffusion of technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, either as part of
broader legislation to limit greenhouse gases, or as stand-alone legislation.
Deployment strategies included tax incentives for investment in technologies to
improve efficiency and/or lower emissions and grants, loans, and other incentives for
technology transfer to developing countries. S. 1203 (Hagel) and H.R. 6417
(Meehan) would have established tax incentives for investment in technologies to
reduce greenhouse gas intensity. S. 745 (Byrd), S. 883 (Hagel), S. 1151 (McCain),
and S. 3698 (Jeffords) would have established grant and loan programs to deploy
technologies in developing countries that have been developed or demonstrated in
the United States. S. 887 (Hagel) would establish a credit-based deployment
program for technologies to reduce greenhouse gas intensity; support would include
direct loans, loan guarantees, lines of credit, and production incentive payments. The
final version of H.R. 6 incorporates language similar to S. 883 and S. 887. H.R. 2828
(Inslee) provides a wide array of incentives for improvements in energy efficiency
and other strategies that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions. S. 4039 (Kerry)
includes several provisions to either mandate or establish incentives for various low-
emission technologies.
In addition to the above bills on technology deployment, §585(b) of the FY2006
Foreign Operations Appropriation Act (P.L. 109-102) required the President to
submit a report on federal agency expenditures (foreign and domestic) on climate
change activities. The act specifically required a report on U.S. Agency for
International Development funding for climate change activities in developing


3 For more information on the science and policy of Global Climate Change, see CRS
Report RL33602, Global Climate Change: Major Scientific and Policy Issues, by John R.
Justus and Susan R. Fletcher.
4 This report does not include bills with other focuses that also had research components
related to climate change (particularly sequestration, renewable energy, and energy
efficiency).

countries, including technology deployment. In April 2006, the White House
submitted to Congress a report titled Federal Climate Change Expenditures Report
to Congress.5
GHG Reporting and Registry Bills
Under the UNFCCC, the United States annually publishes reports on its GHG
emissions.6 The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does this
reporting using various techniques (e.g., fuel analysis for CO2). The three dominant
sources of GHG emissions are electricity generation (33.1%), transportation (26.9%),
and industry (19%).7 At the national level, most electric utilities must report their
GHG emissions pursuant to the 1990 Clean Air Act, but there is no overall national
GHG reporting requirement. However, some states also gather data through
voluntary or mandatory GHG emissions reporting mechanisms.8
H.R. 955 (Olver) focused primarily on expanding emissions reporting to include
a broad array of sources. All entities that emit more than 10,000 metric tons of
carbon dioxide equivalent would have been required to report their emissions, except
that farms were exempt. Further, manufacturers and importers of automobiles and
Department of Energy-listed products9 would have been required to report the
emissions from their products. The purpose of the bill was to promote greenhouse
gas reductions and to generate accurate emissions data that can be used by public and
private entities for various purposes.
In addition to H.R. 955, which focused solely on GHG reporting, several other
bills would have required emissions monitoring and reporting as part of a program
to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide or of all greenhouse gases. These emissions
reductions efforts are discussed in the following section. S. 150 (Jeffords), S. 730
(Leahy), H.R. 1451 (Waxman), and H.R. 1873 (Bass) would have required electricity
producers to report their carbon dioxide emissions in order to determine compliance
with carbon dioxide caps. S. 1151 (McCain), H.R. 759 (Gilchrest), and H.R. 2828
(Inslee) would have required major emitters of all six greenhouse gases to report their
emissions; the bills required reporting from entities that emit more than 10,000
metric tons (11,000 tons) of carbon dioxide equivalent. H.R. 5049 (Udall, T.) would
have required all fossil fuel suppliers to report the amount of greenhouse gases that
will result from combustion of the fuel supplied. S. 4039 (Kerry) would have


5 Available at [http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/legislative/fy07_climate_change.pdf]
6 For more information, see CRS Report 98-235, Global Climate Change: U.S. Greenhouse
Gas Emissions — Status, Trends, and Projections, by John Blodgett and Larry Parker.
7 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. GHG Emissions and Sinks 1990-2001, p.
ES-6. Additional sources are agriculture (7.6%), commerce (7.2%), and residential
activities (5.4%).
8 For more information, see Pew Center on Global Climate Change, Climate Change
Activities in the United States: 2004 Update, Arlington, VA, 2004.
9 Defined as any product for which the Department of Energy has promulgated final
regulations for energy efficiency, energy conservation, maximum energy use, or energy
consumption.

required reporting from all major sources as defined by Section 169A of the Clean
Air Act.
GHG Emission-Reduction Bills
The United States has no federal GHG reduction requirements, though there
have been proposals to require such reductions. These proposals include “command
and control” regulations on emissions, GHG emission taxes, and market-based
techniques to limit emissions. The latter, market-based programs typically take as
their model the Clean Air Act’s acid rain program.10
In the 109th Congress, bills were introduced that would have established market-
based caps on GHG emissions. These bills are compared in Table 1. Three bills, S.
1151 (McCain), H.R. 759 (Gilchrest), and H.R. 2828 (Inslee), would have capped the
emissions of the six greenhouse gases specified in the United Nations’ Framework
Convention on Climate Change. Five other bills, S. 150 (Jeffords), S. 730 (Leahy),
S. 2724 (Carper), H.R. 1451 (Waxman), and H.R. 1873 (Bass), would have focused
on reducing carbon dioxide from electric utilities. Each of these bills would have
used market-based trading mechanisms to limit GHG emissions. Cap-and-trade
programs set strict limits on specific emissions from a particular group of sources,
allowing individual sources to trade reductions. This flexibility in who makes
reductions can lead to lower costs. In an efficient market, entities that face relatively
low emission-reduction costs could achieve extra emission reductions. These entities
could then sell their unused allowances to entities that face higher emission-reduction
costs. An entity facing higher costs could purchase allowances that would allow it
to emit more than its initial emissions allotment would otherwise permit. It should
be noted that in all cases, total U.S. emissions may decrease or increase depending
on the entities covered, the greenhouse gases controlled, and the emissions trading
schemes.
Another market-based option is to require tradeable emissions permits, but
establish a “safety valve” price. In this scenario, if the market value of a permit
exceeds a set price — the safety valve — covered entities can purchase an unlimited
number of permits from the government. In this way, the overall price to covered
entities — and the economy — is limited, but specific emission reduction targets may
not be reached. H.R. 5049 (Udall, T.) would have established a such a system.
Carbon Dioxide Reduction Bills. As shown in Table 1, S. 150, S. 730,
H.R. 1451, and H.R. 1873 focused on electric utility emissions. These “multi-
pollutant” bills would have limited emissions of carbon dioxide, along with other air


10 The acid rain program caps emissions from each source, but allows sources to exceed their
caps if they purchase credits from sources that achieve emissions reductions beyond those
required.

pollutants.11 (See Table 1.) In all four cases, carbon dioxide emissions limitations
would have started in 2010.12
Comprehensive GHG Emissions Reductions. Unlike other bills
proposed in the 109th Congress, the Climate Stewardship Act of 2005 (H.R. 759), the
New Apollo Energy Act of 2005 (H.R. 2828), and the Climate Stewardship and
Innovation Act of 2005 (S. 1151) focused on achieving market-driven reductions in
all six greenhouse gases (see Table 1). The legislation applied to entities in the
electricity, transportation, industry, and commercial sectors that emit over 10,000
metric tons (11,000 tons) of greenhouse gases per year. Starting in 2010, the bills
would have capped total GHG emissions from all these sources at 6.5 billion tons
(CO2 equivalent emissions), reduced by the amount of CO2 (equivalent emissions)
from non-covered entities in the year 2000. The bills would also have established a
formula for allocating GHG emissions allowances, and a climate change credit
corporation to manage allowance trading. Language similar to S. 1151 was offered
as an amendment on the Senate floor to H.R. 6. This amendment was rejected on a

38-60 vote.


In addition to establishing caps on all six greenhouse gases, the above bills
would have supported climate change research and established a GHG emissions
inventory (see above). The bills also included a requirement that the Administrator
of the EPA establish a national GHG database, and develop methods and standards
to measure and verify GHG emissions.
The Safe Climate Act of 2006 (H.R. 5642), the Global Warming Pollution Act
(S. 3698), and the Global Warming Reduction Act of 2006 (S. 4039) would have
granted EPA broad authority to establish regulations such that total greenhouse gas
emissions are reduced to 80% (65% in the case of H.R. 4039) below 1990 levels by
2050. These bills did not designate covered entities or required reduction levels for
specific sectors, but would have left those decisions to EPA’s discretion.
Safety Valve Bills. The Keep America Competitive Global Warming Policy
Act of 2006 (H.R. 5049) would have established a system of allowances for fossil
fuel suppliers and a safety valve of $25 per ton of carbon, indexed to inflation.


11 S. 131 (Inhofe) and H.R. 227 (Sweeny) would also establish a cap-and-trade program for
nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and mercury from utilities. However, the bills do not
address carbon dioxide emissions.
12 For more information on multi-pollutant bills, see CRS Report RL32755, Air Quality:
Multi-Pollutant Legislation in the 109th Congress, by Larry Parker and John Blodgett.

CRS-7
ison of Emissions Reduction Bills
Table 1. Market-Based Greenhouse Gas Emission Caps
S. 150 (Jeffords)S. 1151 (McCain), H.R. 759(Gilchrest), H.R. 2828 (Inslee)S. 730 (Leahy)H.R. 1451(Waxman)H.R. 1873(Bass)S. 2724(Carper)
Any fossil fuel-firedAny electric power, industrial,All electricityAny fossil fuel-Any fossilAny fossil fuel-
electric generatingor commercial entity that emitsgeneratingfired electricfuel-firedfired electric
facility that has aover 10,000 metric tons of CO2facilities in thegeneratingelectricgenerating
iki/CRS-RL32955capacity of greaterthan 15 megawatts,equivalent/year; any refiner orimporter of petroleum productsUnited States.facility that has acapacity ofgeneratingfacility that hasfacility that has acapacity of
g/wgenerates electricityfor transportation use that whengreater than 15a capacity ofgreater than 25
s.orfor sale, and emits acombusted will emit overmegawatts andgreater than 25megawatts and
leakcovered pollutant into10,000 metric tons of COgeneratesmegawatts andgenerates
2
://wikithe air.equivalent/year; and, anyelectricity forgenerateselectricity for
httpimporter or producer of HFCs,sale.electricity forsale.
PFCs or SF6 that, when used,sale.
will emit over 10,000 metric
tons of CO2 equivalent/year.
One GHG: carbonAll six GHGs.One GHG: CO2;One GHG: CO2;One GHG:One GHG: CO2;
lutantsdioxide; otherother pollutants:other pollutants:CO2; otherother pollutants:
Pollutants: sulfursulfur dioxide,sulfur dioxide,pollutants:sulfur dioxide,
dioxide, nitrogennitrogen oxides,nitrogen oxides,sulfur dioxide,nitrogen oxides,
oxides, and mercury.and mercury.and mercury.nitrogenand mercury.


oxides, and
mercury.

CRS-8
S. 150 (Jeffords)S. 1151 (McCain), H.R. 759(Gilchrest), H.R. 2828 (Inslee)S. 730 (Leahy)H.R. 1451(Waxman)H.R. 1873(Bass)S. 2724(Carper)
issions capUtility CO2 emissions6.5 billion tons of CO2Utility CO2Utility CO2Estimated atEstimated at 2.65
limited to 2.05 billionequivalent per year beginning inemissionsemission cap2.46 billionbillion tons in
tons per yeara2010 for all covered entitieslimited to 2.05estimated at 1.94tons in 2010,2010, declining
beginning in 2010.taken together.billion tons perbillion tons perdeclining toto 2.45 billion
year beginning inyear beginning in2.38 billiontons in 2015.

2010.2010.tons in 2015.


Tradeable allowanceTradeable allowance system. Absolute caps onTo beTradeableTradeable
iki/CRS-RL32955rategysystem. Allowancesallocated to variousEPA is directed to determineallocations based on severalmercuryemissions, nodetermined byEPA — marketallowancesystem for allallowancesystem varies by
g/wsectors and interests,economic and equity criteria,trading permittedmechanismspollutants;pollutant. For
s.or
leakincluding households,including efficiency and impactbetween facilitiespermitted (exceptallocationsCO2, allocations
dislocated workerson consumers. Allowances areat different sites. for mercury).based onbased on historic
://wikiand communities,to be allocated upstream toImplementationhistoricelectricity
httpelectricity-intensiverefiners and importers ofstrategy for otherelectricityoutput. CO2
industries, affectedtransportation fuel, along withpollutants to beoutput. program includes
utilities, energyproducers of HFCs, PFCs, anddetermined byCO2 programallowance
efficiency andSF6; downstream to electricEPA.includesallocations for
renewable energygeneration, industrial, andallowanceincremental
activities, andcommercial entities.allocations fornuclear capacity
sequestrationincrementaland renewable
activities.nuclearenergy, along
capacity andwith
renewablesequestration and
energy. early action
provisions.



CRS-9
S. 150 (Jeffords)S. 1151 (McCain), H.R. 759(Gilchrest), H.R. 2828 (Inslee)S. 730 (Leahy)H.R. 1451(Waxman)H.R. 1873(Bass)S. 2724(Carper)
-7.5%-5% -7.5%-9.5%-0.8%-0.8%
2
ness as usual
b
+24.2%+27.7% +24.2%+21.7%+32.2%+32.2%
2
iki/CRS-RL32955vels (UNFCCC
g/wb
s.or
leakalties forSame as Clean AirExcess emission penalty equalTo beTo be$100 per$100 per excess
://wikiplianceAct, title IV exceptthat the excessto three times the market pricefor allowances on the last day ofdetermined byEPA.determined byEPA.excess ton plusone-for-oneton plusone-for-one
httpemission penalty isthe year at issue.offset fromoffset from
three times thefuturefuture emissions
average market priceemissionsallocations.
for allowances.allocations.
ould further limit the number of emission allowances in a given year by the number of tons emitted two years prior by small electricity generating facilities, and by any
number required to protect the public health, welfare, or the environment.
RS calculations based on projections contained in the UNFCCC Secretariat’s 2002 Climate Action Report. Available at [http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/globalwarming.nsf/
content/ResourceCenterPublicationsUSClimateActionReport.html]. For more information, see CRS Report RL32755, Air Quality: Multi-Pollutant Legislation in the 109th
Congress, by Larry Parker and John Blodgett.



CRS-10
Appendix 1. Climate Change Bills in the 109th Congress
Emissions
Caps and
Multi-Allowance
Climate ChangeTechnologyGHG ReportingPollutantTrading for
Bill(s) and Short Title(s)ResearchDeploymentand RegistryBillall GHGs
ENACTED LAW
.L. 109-58X
iki/CRS-RL32955SENATE BILLS
g/w
s.orf ords) XX
leak
://wikiollins) X
http
XX
yrd)
oyment and Global Energy MarketsX
ate Change Technology Deployment in Developing Countries Act ofX



CRS-11
Emissions
Caps and
Multi-Allowance
Climate ChangeTechnologyGHG ReportingPollutantTrading for
Bill(s) and Short Title(s)ResearchDeploymentand RegistryBillall GHGs
nt and Infrastructure Credit ActX
Innovation Act of 2005XXXX
iki/CRS-RL32955
g/wTax Incentives Act of 2005X
s.or
leak XX
://wikif ords)
httparming Pollution Reduction ActXXXX
arming Reduction Act of 2006 XXXX
ate Change Technology Deployment in Developing Countries Act ofX
Tax Incentives Act of 2005X



CRS-12
Emissions
Caps and
Multi-Allowance
Climate ChangeTechnologyGHG ReportingPollutantTrading for
Bill(s) and Short Title(s)ResearchDeploymentand RegistryBillall GHGs
nt and Infrastructure Credit ActXX
newer version
HOUSE BILLS
iki/CRS-RL32955ilchrest)
g/w XXX
s.or
leak X
ons Inventory Act of 2005
://wiki
httpman) XX
ass)XX
XXXX
erica Competitive Global Warming Policy Act of 2006
man)XX



CRS-13
Emissions
Caps and
Multi-Allowance
Climate ChangeTechnologyGHG ReportingPollutantTrading for
Bill(s) and Short Title(s)ResearchDeploymentand RegistryBillall GHGs
. 6417 (Meehan)X


iki/CRS-RL32955
g/w
s.or
leak
://wiki
http

CRS-14
Appendix 2. Key Provisions of Climate Change Legislation in the 109th Congress
Bill No.SponsorMajor ActionsKey Provisions
ENACTED LAW
BartonIntroduced April 18, 2005; passed House AprilOmnibus energy bill addressing various climate- and non-climate related topics.
5821, 2005; passed Senate June 28, 2005;Among other provisions, establishes loans, loan guarantees, etc. to deploy
conference report file July 27, 2005; agreed to intechnology for greenhouse gas intensity reduction (similar language to S. 887);
House July 28; agreed to in Senate July 29;requires the Secretary of State to provide assistance to developing countries on
signed into law August 8, 2005.projects to reduce greenhouse gas intensity; establishes an export initiative for
greenhouse gas reduction technology (similar language to S. 883)
iki/CRS-RL32955SENATE BILLS
g/w
s.or150JeffordsIntroduced January 25, 2005; referred to SenateWould have amended the Clean Air Act to require the Administrator of the
leakEnvironment and Public Works.Environmental Protection Agency to promulgate regulations to achieve specified
reductions in emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide and
://wikimercury from certain electric generation facilities by January 1, 2010.
http
CollinsIntroduced February 1, 2005; referred to SenateWould have established within the Department of Commerce a research program
Commerce, Science, and Transportation.on abrupt climate change.
730LeahyIntroduced April 6, 2005; referred to SenateWould have amended the Clean Air Act to require the Administrator of the
Environment and Public Works.Environmental Protection Agency to promulgate regulations to achieve specified
reductions in emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide and
mercury from certain electric generation facilities by January 1, 2010.
745ByrdIntroduced April 11, 2005; referred to SenateWould have established within the Department of State a program to assist
Foreign Relations.developing countries in the demonstration and deployment of emission reduction
technologies.



CRS-15
Bill No.SponsorMajor ActionsKey Provisions
883HagelIntroduced April 21, 2005; referred to SenateWould have required the Secretary of State to provide assistance to developing
Foreign Relations — see also H.R. 6 (Senatecountries on projects to reduce greenhouse gas intensity; would have established
Version)an export initiative for greenhouse gas reduction technology.
887HagelIntroduced April 21, 2005; referred to SenateWould have established loans, loan guarantees, etc. to deploy technology for
Energy and Natural Resources — see also H.R.greenhouse gas intensity reduction.

6 (Senate Version)


McCainIntroduced May 25, 2005; referred to SenateWould have required any entity that emits more than 10,000 metric tons of
Environment and Public Works.greenhouse gases (CO2 equivalent) to reduce emissions to year 2000 levels by
iki/CRS-RL329552010. Would have allowed: tradeable credits for reductions beyond those
g/wrequired, reductions from non-covered entities, increases in carbon sequestration,
s.orand emissions reductions in other countries. Would have promoted innovation
leakon mitigation technologies and would have established incentives for technology
://wiki deployme nt.
httpHagelIntroduced June 8, 2005; referred to SenateWould have established tax credits for investment in technologies to reduce
Finance.greenhouse gas intensity; also provides tax incentives for nuclear technologies.
2724CarperIntroduced May 4, 2006; referred to SenateWould have amended the Clean Air Act to require the Administrator of the
Environment and Public Works.Environmental Protection Agency to promulgate regulations to achieve specified
reductions in emissions carbon dioxide and pollutants from certain electric
generation facilities by 2010 (2007 for nitrogen oxides).
JeffordsIntroduced July 20, 2006; referred to SenateWould have amended the Clean Air Act to require the Administrator of the
Environment and Public Works.Environmental Protection Agency to promulgate regulations to achieve an 80%
reduction in greenhouse gas emissions below 1990 levels by 2050; would have
established efficiency and/or emissions standards for various sectors; would have
promoted research and development



CRS-16
Bill No.SponsorMajor ActionsKey Provisions
KerryIntroduced September 29, 2006; referred toWould have established a mandatory cap-and-trade program beginning in 2010
Senate Financeto reduce annual emissions by a set percentage each year so that annual
emissions are 65% below year 2000 levels by 2050. Would have established
research and development; greenhouse gas standards for passenger vehicles.
McCainIntroduced February 10, 2005; referred toWould have required any entity that emits more than 10,000 metric tons of
Senate Environment and Public Works.greenhouse gases (CO2 equivalent) to reduce emissions to year 2000 levels by
2010. Would have allowed tradeable credits for reductions beyond those
required, reductions from non-covered entities, increases in carbon sequestration,
iki/CRS-RL32955and emissions reductions in other countries.
g/wHagelIntroduced February 15, 2005; referred toWould have required the Secretary of State to provide assistance to developing
s.orSenate Foreign Relations.countries on projects to reduce greenhouse gas intensity; would have established
leakan export initiative for greenhouse gas reduction technology.
://wikiHagelIntroduced February 15, 2005; referred toWould have established tax credits for investment in technologies to reduce
httpSenate Finance.greenhouse gas intensity; also would have provided tax incentives for clean coal
and nuclear technologies.
HagelIntroduced February 15, 2005; referred toWould have established loans, loan guarantees, etc. to deploy technology for
Senate Energy and Natural Resources.greenhouse gas intensity reduction; would have established a voluntary national
greenhouse gas registry.
*Superseded by newer version



CRS-17
Bill No.SponsorMajor ActionsKey Provisions
HOUSE BILLS
GilchrestIntroduced February 10, 2005; referred to HouseWould have required any entity that emits more than 10,000 metric tons of
Science, and House Energy and Commerce.greenhouse gases (CO2 equivalent) to reduce emissions to year 2000 levels by
2010. Would have allowed: tradeable credits for reductions beyond those
required, reductions from non-covered entities, increases in carbon sequestration,
and emissions reductions in other countries.
OlverIntroduced February 17, 2005; referred to HouseWould have required EPA to establish a GHG emissions information system to
Energy and Commerce.collect information submitted regarding an entity’s GHG emissions. Would have
iki/CRS-RL32955established mandatory registry for entities that emit more than 10,000 metrictons of carbon dioxide equivalent.
g/w
s.or1451WaxmanIntroduced March 17, 2005; referred to HouseWould have amended the Clean Air Act to require the Administrator of the
leakEnergy and Commerce.Environmental Protection Agency to promulgate regulations to achieve specified
://wikireductions in emissions of carbon dioxide and pollutants from certain electric
httpgeneration facilities by 2010.
1873BassIntroduced April 27, 2005; referred to HouseWould have amended the Clean Air Act to require the Administrator of the
Energy and Commerce.Environmental Protection Agency to promulgate regulations to achieve specified
reductions in emissions carbon dioxide and pollutants from certain electric
generation facilities by 2010 (2009 for nitrogen oxides).
InsleeIntroduced June 8, 2005; referred to HouseOmnibus energy bill addressing various climate- and non-climate related topics.
Energy and Commerce, among otherAmong other provisions, would have required any entity that emits more than
committees.10,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases (CO2 equivalent) to reduce emissions to
year 2000 levels by 2010. Would have allowed tradeable credits for reductions
beyond those required, reductions from non-covered entities, increases in carbon
sequestration, and emissions reductions in other countries.



CRS-18
Bill No.SponsorMajor ActionsKey Provisions
Udall, T.Introduced May 24, 2006; referred to HouseWould have established a system of tradeable allowances for greenhouse gas
Energy and Commerce, among otheremissions from fossil fuel supply and combustion, with a maximum “safety
committees.valve” price of $25 per ton of carbon, adjusted for inflation. Would have
established an Advanced Research Projects Agency within the Department of
Energy.
WaxmanIntroduced June 20, 2006; referred to HouseWould have amended the Clean Air Act to require the Administrator of the
Energy and Commerce, among otherEnvironmental Protection Agency to promulgate regulations to achieve an 80%
committees.reduction in greenhouse gas emissions below 1990 levels by 2050.
iki/CRS-RL32955R. 6417MeehanIntroduced December 7, 2006; referred to HouseAmong other provisions, would have established a tax credit for investment in
g/wWays and Meanstechnologies to reduce greenhouse gas intensity.


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leak
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