Obama: Now is time to pass climate change bill
By H. JOSEF HEBERT and DINA CAPPIELLO
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is pressing again for passage of legislation that would confront the problem of global warming head-on.
Speaking in the Rose Garden of the White House, Obama said Washington must not miss the opportunity to work on cleaning the air and at the same time creating new “green” energy jobs. He called the measure “a jobs bill” and said the country for far too long has been too reliant on energy from fossil fuels.
The White House has seemed concerned that momentum for the bill is slipping away. Obama said “I know this is going to be a close vote because there is misinformation out there.” He spoke as House Democratic leaders scurried to line up enough votes to get the bill passed there, possibly as early as Friday.
Republicans largely oppose the bill before House members, arguing that it amounts to a massive energy tax.
