A climate bill sponsored by Sens. John Kerry (Dem.-Mass) and Barbara Boxer (Dem. Calif) was approved in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee while the  GOP boycotted the vote and with Sen. Max Baucus (Dem. Montana) casting the only "no" vote.

Senator Boxer explains:

"The committee and Senate rules that have been in place during Republican and Democratic majorities are there to be used when the majority feels it is in the best interest of their states and of the nation to act," she said in a statement. "A majority of the committee believes that S. 1733, and the efforts that will be built upon it, will move us away from foreign oil imports that cost Americans one billion dollars a day, it will protect our children from pollution, create millions of clean-energy jobs, and stimulate billions of dollars of private investment."

According to United Press International:

"The U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved a climate bill Thursday even as Republican committee members boycotted the meeting....

"Democrats voted 11-1 to pass the bill, with Sen. Max Baucus of Montana the lone "no" vote, The Hill reported....

"Republicans had been boycotting the committee meetings to protest the measure's markup, saying they wanted the Environmental Protection Agency to perform a second cost analysis of the bill."

-Victoria Harper