House will pass climate change legislation by 2009: Pelosi

White House speaker Nancy Pelosi said Tuesday she was committed to pass climate change legislation this year.

Pelosi spoke today at a press conference before the first of four days hearings conducted by the House Energy and Commerce Committee to discuss the energy bill known as The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 authored by Congressmen Henry Waxman and Edward Markey.

We will pass legislation this year, Pelosi told reporters referring to the climate legislation.

The draft of the legislation - which for the first time puts a cap on carbon dioxide that is emitted from power plants and factories in the U.S. - is seen as the most meaningful energy legislation in decades.