House Energy subcommittee could move bill to block EPA climate rules Thursday

House Republicans may move a bill to permanently block the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating greenhouse gas emissions through a key subcommittee later this week.

While a markup has not officially been scheduled, a House Republican aide tells The Hill that a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee could consider and vote on the legislation Thursday.

Per the aide:

“A subcommittee markup has not been formally scheduled — but time has deliberately been left available on the calendar for consideration of the Energy Tax Prevention Act later this week, and we fully expect the subcommittee could consider and vote on the bill this Thursday. As always, a formal announcement will come in advance of any scheduled vote.”

House and Senate lawmakers introduced companion legislation last week to eliminate EPA’s climate change authority. The bill was authored by House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.), Energy and Power subcommittee Chairman Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.) and Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.).

The bill, which was first floated in draft form in February, won the initial support of four Democrats. Reps. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.), the ranking member on the House Agriculture Committee, and Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.), the ranking member on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, are both original co-sponsors. Rep. Dan Boren (D-Okla.) also signed on to the legislation. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) signed on to the bill in the Senate.

The legislation is the latest effort by Republicans to limit EPA’s authority. A spending bill passed by the House in February would slash funding at the agency by $3 billion and prohibit funding for the agency’s climate regulations through the end of September.