WASHINGTON ( CNN ) -- A sharply divided House of Representatives narrowly passed a White House-backed climate change bill Friday after hours of cajoling and arm-twisting by Democratic leaders among members worried about the legislation 's potential economic and political fallout . The House of Representatives passes an energy bill that includes a `` cap-and-trade '' program on emissions . The bill passed 219-212 , with virtually no Republican support . The bill would reduce nationwide greenhouse gas emissions 17 percent by 2020 and 83 percent by 2050 through a so-called `` cap-and-trade '' program under which companies would buy and sell emissions credits . Among other things , the bill would also require utilities to generate an increasing amount of power from renewable sources . Even before daybreak Friday , consternation over the bill brewed anew . The Democrats released a 301-page amendment to the bill at 3:09 a.m. Friday , drawing protest from Republican Leader John Boehner , R-Ohio . `` This is the biggest job-killing bill that has ever been on the floor of the House of Representatives . Right here . This bill , '' Boehner said . The leaders of the House are customarily granted unlimited speaking time , but when the Boehner 's speech went more than 2½ hours , Democrats objected . `` Is this an attempt to try to get some people to leave on a close vote ? '' asked Rep Henry Waxman , D-California , the bill 's lead sponsor . Also Friday , the House of Representatives phone switchboard went down as conservative radio hosts and congressmen made direct pleas for voters to dial the Capitol to voice their opposition to the bill . `` Phone traffic has increased to a level where some callers are receiving an 'all circuits are busy now , please try back again later ' message , '' communications director Jeff Ventura said via e-mail . Congressional sources said Democrats were hoping their constituents would also attempt to match phone calls opposed to the bill with phone calls for the bill . `` Call your congressman , right now ! '' urged Rep. Mike Pence , R-Indiana , from the House floor as the chamber seemed near a vote . Ventura said the bill was likely behind the phone-line crash . `` The suspected cause ... is believed to be interest and inquiries regarding the expected vote on the climate bill , '' he wrote . The House vote came one day after President Obama made an urgent plea for congressional approval in what could be an early make-or-break test of his young administration . `` Now is the time for us to lead , '' Obama said during an appearance Thursday in the White House Rose Garden . `` We can not be afraid of the future . We can not be prisoners to the past . '' The president said the bill will spark a `` clean energy transformation '' of the U.S. economy and `` make possible the creation of millions of new jobs . '' `` Make no mistake , '' he emphasized . `` This is a jobs bill . '' Several moderate and conservative Democrats indicated that they received heavy constituent pressure in the final hours to buck their party leadership and vote against the bill . `` I ca n't begin to tell you how many calls we 've received , '' said Rep. Charles Gonzalez , D-Texas . `` And it 's disproportionately vote 'no . ' '' Gonzalez , who voted `` yes , '' believes special interest groups generated many of the calls on both sides , including the late surge of negative feedback . However , Gonzalez also said Obama tried to counter much of that pressure by personally reaching out to swing members since Thursday night . Republicans have argued the bill would have the unintended consequence of devastating the country 's battered industrial base while pushing polluting industries to countries with lower environmental standards . Having cleared the House , the bill now faces an unclear future in the Senate , where Democratic leaders have held off on introducing their own version of the legislation . CNN 's Evan Glass contributed to this report .
Democratic leaders , Obama twist arms to get politically dicey bill passed . Bill would reduce nationwide greenhouse gas emissions 17 percent by 2020 . GOP says bill would drive polluting companies to less-regulated countries . Bill faces unclear future in Senate , where it has not been introduced .