US House Democrats reach climate change deal, vote soon

WASHINGTON, June 23 (Reuters) - Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives working on climate change bill said on Tuesday that they had reached a deal on difficult agriculture issues that will clear the way for a vote, and probable passage, in the chamber this week.

"We have an agreement finally," said House Agriculture Committee chairman Collin Peterson whose support has been widely sought by House Democratic leaders.

Representative Henry Waxman, a main proponent for legislation to reduce industrial emissions of carbon dioxide told reporters the U.S. Department of Agriculture, not the Environmental Protection Agency, will be put in charge of overseeing some carbon reductions efforts by farmers, a major demand of farm-state Democrats in the House. Waxman also said that with this deal he thought there would be "a majority to pass the bill," in the House. (Reporting by Richard Cowan, Editing by Jackie Frank)