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WASHINGTON -- Republicans boycotted the start of committee debate Tuesday on a bill to curb greenhouse gases, protesting that the bill's costs have not been fully examined. The action put a spotlight on the difficulties Democratic leaders face in moving climate legislation this year.

Republican Sen. George Voinovich of Ohio attended the session for 15 minutes to explain the GOP's argument for staying away. He insisted the tactic "is not a ruse" to block the bill, but concern that its widespread impact on the country has not been made clear.

But Sen. Barbara Boxer of California, the panel's chairman, argued the EPA already has provided "a full-blown economic analysis" and that Majority Leader Harry Reid has promised further studies when the bill is merged with other legislation. She insisted, "We're not rushing. We are taking our time."

Still, U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, said that Republicans are seeking more information.

"We're operating on the theory that before we start voting, the American people expect us to be able to read a bill and to know what it costs," he said. "And Sen. (James) Inhofe and Sen. Voinovich are working with Sen. Boxer to see if we can get that information before we start voting, and that's not resolved yet."

The Democratic bill calls for cutting greenhouse gas emissions from power plants and industrial facilities 20 percent by 2020 and 83 percent by mid-century. Polluters would be given pollution permits that they could trade among themselves to ease the economic effect of the transition from fossil fuels.

Alexander said there is a Republican alternative to the plan.

"All 40 Republicans agree on a clean-energy policy that we believe will deal with climate change," he said. "We want, 1) 100 new nuclear plants in 20 years; 2) to electrify half the cars and trucks in 20 years; 3) offshore exploration for low-carbon natural gas; and 4) to double energy research and development on alternative forms of energy. If we actually did that, we could reach the 1990 Kyoto goals by 2030.

The partisan rift in the Environment and Public Works Committee, which delayed votes on amendments to the legislation, exposed the sharp divisions in the Senate over how to address global warming. Democrats also have been split on the issue. Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., who said he had deep reservations about the bill, also was absent.

Boxer had hoped to push the legislation out of her committee this week, so it could be merged with provisions from five other committees and demonstrate to the world some progress in Congress before the international climate conference begins in Copenhagen, Denmark, in December.