This was a vote on an amendment by Rep. Mike Doyle (D-PA) that would have required the Environmental Protection Agency to conduct a study determining if regulating greenhouse gas emissions would harm U.S. efforts to remain economically competitive in the world. This amendment was offered to legislation prohibiting the EPA from regulating greenhouse gas emissions.

Doyle urged support for his amendment: “…All we're asking for is to put some good data behind this. Let's study it. Let's have the EPA take a look at this. Let's see what the effects are on our energy-intensive industries, because this is an issue we're going to have to deal with eventually, and we want to have good data behind it. Let's not have all the stories be anecdotal. Let's have the agency study this, and let's work together to find solutions to protect our industries while we clean up our environment for our kids and our grandkids.”

Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) opposed the amendment: “There is no longer any question about whether the EPA's climate change regulations would actually hurt international competitiveness and affect American companies. We already know they would. We already know that. I talked to a factory in my district that said when cap-and-trade was going to be passed, or this de facto cap-and-trade that's being looked at, if that passes, that will definitely result in them leaving. There's no benefit. It's a higher cost of doing business. It makes us uncompetitive in the free world, especially in areas affected where we have an ability to trade with other countries.”

The House rejected this amendment by a vote of 173-250. Voting “yea” were 172 Democrats and 1 Republican. 236 Republicans and 14 Democrats voted “nay.” As a result, the House rejected an amendment that would have required the Environmental Protection Agency to conduct a study determining if regulating greenhouse gas emissions would harm U.S. efforts to remain economically competitive in the world.