Climate Debate Heats Up in the Senate

Jane Van Ryan
Posted July 8, 2009

This week, the Senate began discussions on the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, climate legislation that narrowly passed in the House last month. As a recent New York Times article mentions, this week and the remainder of the month will be a busy time on the Hill with a number of hearings taking place before the weeks of July 27-31 and Aug. 3-7--weeks Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) set aside for the bill's mark up. To follow the discussion, you can watch yesterday's Environment & Public Works Committee hearing.

As we've discussed in previous posts, contrary to its intentions, the bill will cost Americans billions of dollars, kill jobs, and will not deliver the environmental benefits promised. And in a Washington Post article from yesterday, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and others agree:

"... (Barbour) testified that a recent gathering of southern business leaders produced bipartisan opposition to the plan under consideration on Capitol Hill. "There was little dissent about who would bear the cost...the consumer," Barbour said, suggesting that the trading system would become too complicated. "Many Americans worry it will end up being an Enron-style manipulation scheme.""

Given the economic challenges presented by the recession, the last thing this nation needs is a climate for sky-high energy costs.

So take action. Use the widget below to tell Congress to produce a climate bill that does not harm the economy and includes a more balanced approach to transportation fuels and natural gas.