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Empresas y finanzas

Waxman predicts House passage of climate bill


    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives will pass a sweeping climate change bill by the end of next week, House Energy Committee Chairman Henry Waxman said on Tuesday.

    Waxman said he was uncertain if any Republicans would vote for the legislation, but expected to finish the measure early next week and have enough Democratic support to approve it.

    "We will have the votes for passage of this bill next week," Waxman said after emerging from a meeting with fellow committee Democrats.

    He said committee Democrats have reached a deal on several contentious issues in the legislation that aims to cap the release of greenhouse gases and force companies to acquire permits for their emissions.

    Although Waxman and Representative Edward Markey initially sought a 20 percent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions below 2005 levels by 2020, lawmakers have now agreed to lower the target to 17 percent.

    Waxman said he planned to release the final version of the bill by Thursday and to begin committee discussions on it Monday.

    (Reporting by Ayesha Rascoe and Thomas Ferraro; Editing by Doina Chiacu)