United States House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming

The House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming was a select committee of the U.S. House of Representatives. It was established March 8, 2007 through adoption of a resolution by a 269–150 vote of the full House. The committee existed from 2007 to 2011, and was not renewed when the Republicans

Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

gained control of the House for the 112th Congress.

Controversy

Speaker Nancy Pelosi

Nancy Pelosi

Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi is the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives and served as the 60th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011...

announced plans to create the select committee on January 18, 2007, which immediately drew objections from many House Republicans as well as some House Democrats, particularly Chairman John Dingell

John Dingell

John David Dingell, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1955 . He is a member of the Democratic Party...

of the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee

United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce

The Committee on Energy and Commerce is one of the oldest standing committees of the United States House of Representatives. Established in 1795, it has operated continuously—with various name changes and jurisdictional changes—for more than 200 years...

, which has primary jurisdiction over environmental and climate change

Climate change

Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...

(global warming

Global warming

Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...

) issues and Chairman Charles Rangel of the Ways and Means Committee

United States House Committee on Ways and Means

The Committee of Ways and Means is the chief tax-writing committee of the United States House of Representatives. Members of the Ways and Means Committee are not allowed to serve on any other House Committees unless they apply for a waiver from their party's congressional leadership...

. Pelosi was able to reach a compromise with Chairman Dingell, wherein the committee will be advisory in nature, without the legislative authority granted to standing committees. Several Republican leaders, including Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Joe Barton

Joe Barton

Joseph Linus "Joe" Barton is a Republican politician, representing in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1985, and a member of the Tea Party Caucus...

continue to object to the committee calling it a "platform for some members to grandstand."

The committee also is controversial because it received funding at the expense of the House Ethics Committee.

In January 2011, the new Republican-controlled House decided to kill the committee, bringing controversy from environmentalists and climate researchers.

Jurisidiction

The Select committee conducts hearings on energy independence and climate change

Climate change

issues. The committee lacks the authority to draft legislation, but will work with the House standing committees with jurisdiction over climate change issues and develop recommendations on legislative proposals. Speaker Pelosi has indicated she would like committees with jurisdiction over energy, environment and technology policy to report legislation on these issues to the full House by July 4, 2007.

Members, 111th Congress
111th United States Congress
The One Hundred Eleventh United States Congress was the meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government from January 3, 2009 until January 3, 2011. It began during the last two weeks of the George W. Bush administration, with the remainder spanning the first two years of...

The select committee was reestablished for the 111th Congress pursuant to . On January 14, 2009, Speaker Nancy Pelosi

Nancy Pelosi

reappointed Ed Markey

Ed Markey

Edward John "Ed" Markey is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1976. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes most of Boston's northern and western suburbs, such as Medford and Framingham. Markey is the Dean of both the Massachusetts and New England House delegations...

of Massachusetts

Massachusetts

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

and James Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...

as Chairman and Ranking Member, respectively, of the committee.

Majority	Minority
Ed Markey Ed Markey Edward John "Ed" Markey is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1976. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes most of Boston's northern and western suburbs, such as Medford and Framingham. Markey is the Dean of both the Massachusetts and New England House delegations... , Massachusetts, Chairman Earl Blumenauer Earl Blumenauer Earl Blumenauer is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1996. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes most of Portland east of the Willamette River. A native of Portland, he previously spent over 20 years as a public official representing the city.-Early... , Oregon Jay Inslee Jay Inslee Jay Robert Inslee is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1999. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes many of Seattle's northern suburbs in King, Snohomish, and Kitsap counties... , Washington John Larson, Connecticut Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, South Dakota Emanuel Cleaver Emanuel Cleaver Emanuel Cleaver II is a United Methodist pastor and the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Democratic Party, and in January 2010 became chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.... , Missouri John Hall, New York John Salazar John Salazar John Tony Salazar is the former Congressman for , serving from 2005 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Following his service in Congress, he was appointed as Commissioner of the Colorado Department of Agriculture in the Cabinet of Governor John Hickenlooper in 2011.-Early life,... , Colorado Jackie Speier Jackie Speier Karen Lorraine Jacqueline "Jackie" Speier is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2008. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes the northern two-thirds of San Mateo County and the southwest quarter of San Francisco.She is also a former member of the California State... , California	James Sensenbrenner, Wisconsin, Ranking Member John Shadegg John Shadegg John Barden Shadegg is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1995 until 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party.The district, numbered as the 4th District before the 2000 Census, includes much of northern Phoenix.... , Arizona Candice Miller Candice Miller Candice S. Miller is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. She is a member of the Republican Party.The district includes Michigan's Huron, Macomb, and Sanilac counties, plus portions of Lapeer and Oakland counties.... , Michigan John Sullivan, Oklahoma Marsha Blackburn Marsha Blackburn Marsha Wedgeworth Blackburn is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. She is a member of the Republican Party. The district stretches from the suburbs of Nashville to the suburbs of Memphis.-Early life, education and career:... , Tennessee Shelley Moore Capito Shelley Moore Capito Shelley Moore Capito is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. She is a member of the Republican Party... , West Virginia

Controversy

Jurisidiction

See also