WARMING

Republicans Boycott Climate Bill

Passes in Senate committee on Democratic votes.

A Democratic climate-change bill that would require a 20 percent reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2020 was approved by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Ten of the committee's eleven Democrats voted for the bill—only Max Baucus of Montana voted against it—while Republicans decided to boycott, contending that the legislation required more analysis. The bill, which bases its 20 percent figure on 2005 levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, is not the only legislation taking on global warming: John Kerry is working with Republicans and the White House on a compromise bill which could see a vote sometime next year.