Published: June 27, 2009 07:46 pm      

Indiana Rep. Baron Hill votes with majority on climate bill

Democratic Reps. Andre Carson and Baron Hill were the only members of Indiana’s delegation to vote in favor of a bill to force reductions in greenhouse gases blamed for global warming.

The House passed the bill 219-212 on Friday.

Carson and Hill were among 211 Democrats and eight Republicans who voted for the measure. There were 44 Democrats and 168 Republicans opposed, including Indiana Democrats Joe Donnelly, Brad Ellsworth and Pete Visclosky, and Republicans Dan Burton, Steve Buyer, Mike Pence and Mark Souder.

Carson said the bill would help Indiana’s economy.

“Thousands of jobs will be created with investments in clean-energy technologies, as demand increases for products like steel for wind turbines and advanced windows for energy-efficient buildings,” Carson said. “With the enactment of this bill, I can envision the next generation of green, fuel-efficient automobiles being made right here in Indiana.”

Donnelly, however, said it could jeopardize jobs.

“The legislation has too many uncertainties in terms of the effect it would have on manufacturers and other businesses and the Hoosiers they employ,” Donnelly said. “In particular, I am very concerned that the bill would put us at a competitive disadvantage relative to other emerging economic powers like China and India.”

Souder said it would hurt steel, automobile and boat manufacturers.

“It might as well have been named the cap-and-trade-our-jobs-to-China bill,” Souder said.