"A measure requiring utilities to generate a certain amount of electricity from renewable sources, such as wind and solar, overcame a legislative hurdle in the U.S. Senate on Thursday."
"The House Energy and Commerce Committee passed the Waxman-Markey climate and energy bill by a vote of 33-25 on Thursday evening. It’s a landmark occasion, the first time a serious climate bill has made it this far in the House."
U.S. emissions of carbon dioxide related to energy use fell 2.8 percent last year, driven down by high oil prices and the sagging economy -- the steepest drop since 1982.
In the House climate bill, "consumers would receive around $750 billion in direct and indirect handouts and subsidies through 2030 to offset the higher energy costs."
The House Energy Committe amended its climate bill to include a "Clean Energy Deployment Administration" within the Energy Department that would fund new nuclear plants as well as renewables.