Post From the Policy & Lobbying Side of LCV

LCV's Policy and Lobbying department is going to start guest-blogging on LCVlive about the day-to-day developments of environmental priorities on the Hill.

As most of LCVlive's readers likely know, the biggest environmental action on the Hill recently was Warner-Lieberman bill, also known as the Climate Safety Act. This piece of legislation would have been the first global warming legislation in the history of the country. The bill established a market-based cap-and-trade system limiting global warming, mirroring on the federal level what almost 30 states are implementing in some fashion. The bill stalled when the Senate voted 48-36 to end debate. Some post-game thoughts:

Joe Lieberman, who has co-sponsored global warming legislation in the past, found an unlikely ally in his bi-partisan co-sponsor John Warner. Warner, a retiring Virginia senator who has historically voted against global warming legislation, rethought his position when his young grandchildren urged him to do something about the problem. The pair, along with Environment and Public Works Committee Chair Barbara Boxer, showed tremendous leadership in driving this legislation. The environmental community, including LCV, worked hard throughout the process to strengthen the act by upping targets to where science says we need to be and ensuring the proceeds went to public benefit instead of polluters, while fighting against bad amendments such as subsidies for the nuclear industry or a "safety valve" which would effectively curtail the bill if gas prices reached a certain price.

However, a group of anti-environment Senators, with Jim Inhofe and Mitch McConnell leading the charge, resorted to cheap obstructionist tactics. In a move that you'd think would only happen in Hollywood, these Senators made the clerks read the entire 492-page bill aloud, which took 10 hours.

In spite of this, 54 senators voted or issued statements in support of continuing the debate. This is great progress, since the last global warming vote we had 38 Senators voting in favor of global warming legislation. Clearly, however, we still have work to do, and one of the most important steps is that we need to elect pro-environment candidates in 2008.

Senate Votes on Climate Security Act

Senate voted today to reject cloture on the Climate Security Act and put on hold key legislation to stop global warming and create real energy alternatives.

While the votes of Senators McConnell and Inhofe remained allied with big oil and coal industries, a majority of 54 Senators supported the bill, representing the American families who are feeling the affects of our nation's dependence on foreign oil and the insecurity of an unbalanced climate.

The leadership displayed by Senators Boxer, Lieberman and Warner to introduce and defend this bill has brought the issue to the forefront of the national debate and set the bar high for climate legislation to come.

The action taken in the Senate today underlines the need for a 60-vote pro-environment majority. That’s why LCV is working to elect environmental champions in the coming elections and to present an even stronger climate bill for a new Senate to pass next year.

To read Gene Karpinski’s statement on the vote, go to: http://lcv.org/newsroom/press-releases/league-of-conservation-voters-statement-on-lieberman-warner.html

End the Stall on the Climate Security Act

Big Oil’s friends in the Senate yesterday instated a filibuster to prevent open debate on a bill that is needed now to mitigate the devastating effects that global warming has taken on our environment.

By having a Senate clerk recite the 491 pages of the bill, Senators McConnell, Cornyn, Allard, and Inhofe are stealing precious time from our nation to invest in alternative energies, create green jobs, and energize our economy.

To help bring an end to this shameful display of puppetry write or call your Senator to call for cloture to this filibuster. Don’t let Big Oil prevent discussion on the Climate Security Act.

Gene Writes to Support a Strong Climate Security Act

LCV President, Gene Karpinski, today posted to The Hill’s Congress Blog urging action on the part of the Senate to support strengthening amendments to the Climate Security Act.

He also warns against amendments that will be made by allies of Big Oil and coal companies to undermine the potential of this bill to make strides towards creating a cleaner future with a reduced dependence on fossil fuels and foreign oil.

To read the full length post, visit: http://blog.thehill.com/2008/06/03/its-time-for-the-senate-to-act/#more-6050

Images from the Rally: For more join our Facebook Group

Rally Behind a Strong Climate Security Act

This afternoon’s press conference and rally was joined by key leaders in the Senate who took time before the floor debate to voice their support for the passing of a strong Climate Security Act.

Present were Senators Boxer, Cardin, Kerry, Klobuchar, and Snowe.

They represented a united front for a sustainable future, characterized by green jobs, better security, and a stronger economy.

It was just as much a rally for them, leading into the debate, as it was for those watching. Senator Boxer said of her fellow senators that they knew this argument by heart, and that despite the hard and lonely fight against special interests, they stood unwavering with science and bipartisan support on the side of passing the Climate Security Act.

Senator Kerry said that the passing of this bill “goes to the core of our very responsibilities as legislatures for the future.” To him and the other senators standing beside this cause is a “matter of public responsibility.”

In addition to the comments made by the senators, there were remarks made by members of the religious, scientific, labor, economic and environmental communities in support of the passing of a strong bill to combat global warming.

Their stories of how the evidence of global warming is affecting their lives and their work proved further that the people of this nation are ahead of the federal government when it comes to accepting the realities and severities of the implications of a changing environment.

Stand Up for the Climate Security Act

Monday, June 2^nd, LCV President, Gene Karpinski will be at the Upper Senate Park along with speakers from Natural Resources Defense Council, Johns Hopkins University, and the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change, among others, to rally around strengthening and supporting the Climate Security Act.

Senator Barbara Boxer is hosting this press event, to start at 1 pm, to bring together the diverse collation to show support for the debate that will be happening that day on the 7^th floor of the Capital.

Our message to congress for the Climate Security Act is to strengthen the framework for reducing our global warming pollution and pass a sound piece of legislation to combat the effects that we have had on climate change. Come out to be a part of this historic event for the environment.

Karpinski Joins Boxer at Congress

LCV joined Senator Barbara Boxer and leaders from major environmental organizations at Congress today to talk about moving America towards a clean energy future. Sen. Boxer said that increasing numbers of Republican and Democratic senators are warming to the Warner-Lieberman bill, which will require increased energy efficiency and clean fuels. She added that voters will hold accountable those delegates who try to block pro-environmental legislation.

Karpinski bolstered her remarks, saying, “Now, in the face of an economy dragged down by $100-plus per barrel crude, record oil company profits and a growing recognition of the need for immediate action on global warming, 2008 will be a year when the American people expect more. The best thing members of Congress can do this year -- for the future of the planet, consumers, and the economy, not to mention their own reelection -- is to support a strong global warming bill that achieves the emissions reductions the science shows are necessary."

It was inspiring to see Sen. Boxer on stage with some of the environmental movement’s most influential figures. The leaders joining Karpinski were Kevin Knobloch (President of the Union of Concerned Scientists), Frances Beinecke (President of the National Resources Defense Council), and Carl Pope (President of the Sierra Club).

See here for the press release.