Get involved in the fight against climate change.
The Senate is finally getting to work on climate legislation, months after the House passed its own bill. Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) are pushing forward their Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act.
Do your senators support the bill, and action against climate change in general? Help us find out! Send a message like this to your two U.S. senators (here’s a list of senators and their contact info), then post their replies below in comments or email them to us.
Dear Sen. __________:
I am writing to learn more about your views on the critical issue of global climate change, and specifically on the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act, sponsored by Sens. John Kerry and Barbara Boxer.
Do you agree with the scientific community’s consensus view that climate change is primarily driven by human activities? If so, will you be supporting the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act? Are there changes that you would like to see made to the bill?
If you don’t plan to support the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act, what other legislation or action are you calling for to address the challenge of climate change?
Finally, will you encourage President Obama to ensure that the United States plays a leading role in the upcoming round of global climate negotiations in Copenhagen in December? And do you believe the United States should join other nations in an international treaty that sets firm caps on emissions of global-warming gases?
Thank you in advance for your answers.
Sincerely,
__________
Learn more and do more at the Climate Citizens hub.
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Comments
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veritone Posted 5:14 pm
05 Oct 2009
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Ken Johnson Posted 6:33 pm
05 Oct 2009
Should individuals, corporations, municipalities and states have the ability and the right, under federal cap-and-trade legislation, to take action to further reduce their carbon footprint without their action resulting in, and being nullified by, increased emissions elsewhere?
If so, will the Senate protect that right by giving the EPA authority to establish allowance set-asides for state initiatives that achieve emission reductions beyond the minimal federal cap requirements?
If not, is it the Senate's intent that complementary GHG-reduction actions within capped sectors should, in effect, be converted to subsidy programs for fossil-fuel industries?
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blanca estela Posted 10:22 am
09 Oct 2009
Thank you for contacting me regarding the American Clean Energy and Security Act. I welcome your thoughts and comments.
In our effort to reduce emissions, I believe we must invest in alternative sources of energy. Wind, solar, nuclear, and biomass are clean, safe and effective sources of power. Their increased use would create thousands of jobs and allow us to produce energy for Americans, by Americans.
Some Members of Congress have expressed their intent to mandate a cap-and-trade policy to be imposed on all Americans. I believe that cap-and-trade would increase energy prices. In 2008, Peter Orszag, who then served as the Director of the Congressional Budget Office, and who now serves as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, testified before the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Finance on the implications of a cap-and-trade regime. In his testimony, Director Orszag stated, “Under a cap-and-trade program, firms would not ultimately bear most of the costs of the allowances but instead would pass them along to their customers in the form of higher prices.â€
For this reason, I believe that a cap-and-trade approach to address climate change would be onerous and would adversely impact the economy. It could create economic hardship for farmers, ranchers, workers and small businesses, in addition to consumers. The last thing our nation needs during this time of economic hardship is higher energy prices and higher levels of unemployment due to a federal mandate passed down from Washington.
As cap-and-trade legislation comes before the Senate, I will keep your comments in mind. I appreciate hearing from you, and I hope you will not hesitate to keep in touch on any issue that is important to you.
Sincerely,
Kay Bailey Hutchison
United States Senator
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EnviroShow Posted 5:26 pm
05 Nov 2009
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