By STEPHEN POWER and BRODY MULLINS
WASHINGTON -- Business groups and environmentalists are flooding the airwaves with ads targeting a dozen or so Democrats whose votes are seen as crucial on a controversial climate bill.
The outreach is intensifying as House Democratic leaders are gaining confidence they have the votes needed to move the bill through the House Energy and Commerce Committee as early as next week. On Thursday, a key swing vote on the panel, Rep. Rick Boucher (D., Va.), announced he would support the measure, though he said he continues to harbor concerns about some of its provisions and intends to seek changes when it comes before the full House later this year.
It remains unclear how many Democrats will vote for the bill, which aims to cut U.S. carbon-dioxide emissions roughly 80% below 2005 levels by 2050.
Bowing to Democrats whose states depend on cheap, coal-fired electricity or on energy-intensive industries, the committee's chairman, Rep. Henry Waxman (D., Calif.), agreed earlier this week to soften the proposal. It would require a cut of 17% below 2005 levels by 2020, rather than 20% by 2020 as originally proposed.
Mr. Waxman also agreed to give away to electric utilities 35% of the emissions permits that would be created under the bill, rather than require them to pay for the permits.
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