By Larry J. Schweiger

Osama bin Laden is a terrorist who has proven by his actions that he has no consideration for human life. He has disqualified himself by his actions from any commentary on other matters the world faces.

The real news of the day on climate change is the announcement from the White House that the government will cut its own pollution by 28 percent while cutting energy bills, saving taxpayer money, and saving oil. I applaud President Obama for his continued leadership on clean energy and the environment.

If the federal government can cut pollution by 28 percent this decade while saving money, then imagine what the nation’s biggest corporate polluters could do if they focused on innovation and protecting our environment.

Yesterday, President Obama set a more modest goal for the nation as a whole, calling for a 17 percent pollution cut by 2020 as part of the Copenhagen Accord, consistent with the American Clean Energy & Security Act that passed the House last year. The Senate must pass clean energy and climate legislation this year to get America moving on the road to clean energy jobs, energy independence, and a healthy planet for future generations.