CLIMATE CHANGE LEGISLATION HITS SPEED BUMPS IN SENATE

News Date July 15, 2009

Following House passage of the American Clean Energy and Security Act (H.R. 2454) late last month, efforts to pass climate change legislation have shifted to the Senate with Senate leaders indicating legislation could be on the Senate floor by late September or early October. 

Senate leaders initially intended to vote on the legislation prior to the August recess, but healthcare reform and the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, as well as concerns from a number of Senators over specific provisions of the House-passed climate legislation, have slowed the bill in the Senate.  Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) announced last week that she was pushing back consideration of climate change legislation in her committee until after the August recess. 

Provisions in the House-passed legislation to impose tariffs on imports from countries that fail to meet carbon emission targets have attracted attention in the Senate, with a number of Senators expressing concern over trade retaliation.   With China and India still refusing to agree to emission limits, opponents of the bill worry that it would increase costs to such an extent that American businesses will be forced to go to other countries with less environmental regulations to avoid drastic price increases for consumers, resulting in the loss of American jobs.

Supporters of climate change legislation say that it represents an investment for the future and that change must happen now to decrease environmental concern.  Opponents, however, say that the bill is far too costly and resources should be used for alternative energy such as wind, solar, biofuels and nuclear.

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said in testimony to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee that farmers’ participation must be engaged for this to work and that farmers should be rewarded for using less carbon.  (Contact: David Hickey or Kasey Miller)