A controversial climate change bill cleared its first hurdle in the U.S. Senate on Thursday.Democrats on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee ignored a Republican boycott and used their majority to approve the legislation that would require U.S. industry to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases 20 percent by 2020, from 2005 levels.

“I think this is a great signal for Copenhagen that there’s a will to do what it takes to advance this issue,” committee Chairman Barbara Boxer told reporters after her panel voted.

The problem is the requirement that at least two (2) minority votes for a bill to reach the Senate floor and this didn’t happen. Under committee rules, at least two Republicans had to be present to debate and vote on changing the bill.

With all seven Republicans chairs empty, 11 Democrats voted to approve the bill. Only one Democrat, Senator Max Baucus, who chairs the powerful Senate Finance.

Senator James Inhofe, the senior Republican on the committee, had enough information to conclude:

“It is time for a different approach, one that grows, rather than shrinks our economy, creates, rather than destroys jobs, and strengthens, rather than weakens our energy security.”

Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) today on Fox News said that committee rules dictate that at least two members of the minority must be present when meeting. Boxer held a vote on the legislation, which passed 10-1, but no Republicans were present for the vote.

Republican members of the committee have been boycotting the hearings all week because the legislation has not yet been scored by the Environmental Protection Agency.

“That was unprecendented, I think the bill is dead,” Inhofe told Fox.

In a statement, Inhofe said he is “deeply disappointed by Chairman Boxer’s decision to violate the rules and longstanding precedent of the committee.”

He added that “she decided to ignore the entreaties of all 6 ranking members from Senate committees with some share of jurisdiction over climate change legislation, as well as leading moderates in the Senate.  Her action signals the death knell for the Kerry Boxer bill.”

Yes, the bill is most likely dead but Communist tactics in Congress are unprecedented in today’s United States. Comrade Boxer, Indeed!