House votes to overturn Obama’s climate rule

The House voted Tuesday to overturn President Obama’s sweeping climate change regulations for power plants in a largely symbolic move. The mostly party-line 242-180 vote came on the second day of a two-week climate change conference in Paris. The legislation would permanently block the main pillar of Obama’s climate agenda and of his pledge to the international community for the accord world leaders are writing in Paris. Tuesday’s vote sends the measure to Obama’s desk, following the Senate’s November vote to pass the legislation. Obama has promised a veto to protect his climate priorities. Lawmakers also voted 235-188 to block a parallel EPA regulation setting limits on carbon emissions from newly built power plants that use coal or natural gas. That rule would require technology on coal plants to significant curtail carbon output, which the industry says would all but prevent new plants. Both votes are a piece of the GOP’s attempts to undermine the Paris climate talks by showing that his emissions cuts do not enjoy support at home from Congress or the American public. Earlier Tuesday, Obama sought to reassure leaders that the Republicans’ actions against his climate agenda do not effect his pledges. “My expectation is that we will absolutely be able to meet our commitments,” he told reporters in Paris shortly before leaving the conference...more