Senate climate change hearings begin

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U.S. Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) (L) listens to Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) (R) during a news conference June 5, 2008 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.

The secretaries of Energy, Transportation, and Interior will testify Tuesday before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. They all want to be heard during the committee’s debate on a sweeping climate change bill.

California’s junior senator Barbara Boxer, who co-authored the climate bill, also chairs the committee. The bill’s co-author, John Kerry of Massachusetts, chairs the Foreign Relations Committee.

Climate change has international implications, but Daniel Weiss of the Center for American Progress says Kerry’s role is that of a diplomat on Capitol Hill. Weiss says passing the climate change bill is a two-step process.

"First is moving a bill through the Environment Committee, which Senator Boxer chairs," said Weiss. "She’s going to work on that piece. Second, getting 60 votes, a supermajority in the Senate, which requires the support of a lot of people off the Committee.

"Senator Kerry’s gonna focus on that piece. So I think what you’re seeing is Senator Boxer’s playing an inside the Committee role, Senator Kerry’s playing an outside of the Committee role."

The Senate measure aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions 20 percent below 2005 levels over the next decade. Senator Boxer wants a vote in her committee early next month. Republicans have threatened to block the vote.