219-212

The first week of my internship on Capitol Hill was concluded with one of the closest votes the House of Representatives has had in a long while. Needing 218 votes to pass, the White House and leaders of the Democratic party strongly advocated the "Cap and Trade" climate change/energy bill (H.R. 2454). Proponents of the bill believed that it would reduce the US's dependency on foreign oil while cleaning up the environment for future generations. Much of the opposition from conservatives arose out of the concern for the economic strain it would place on people in a recession. Also, many people are concerned that the bill's effort at cleaning up the environment will not prove to be effective because many other countries show more concern for growth in industry than they do for the environment.

After several long debates, the House finally voted on the bill late on Friday evening. For the first time in my life, I saw how many perspectives and opinions are considered before a Congressman pledges his or her vote. New and constantly changing information, party push, and a barrage of constituent phone calls and letters are taken into account before a decision is made by the Representative and their staff.

Our Congressman, Parker Griffith, voted to reflect the sentiments of his constituents and voted no the Cap and Trade Bill along with the rest of the Congressional Alabama Delegation. However, they came up a few votes short, and the Senate will likely tackle the Bill in the early fall after they complete the healthcare overhaul debates.