The Big Vote – Your Action Needed Today on Climate Bill

We are getting the vote we have been looking for on the Climate Security Act (S. 3036) tomorrow morning, Friday, at about 10 am. There could be an agreement later today to move this bill forward to tonight. Either way, today is the big day for us, our allies and the public to weigh in.

Yesterday, our opponents overplayed their hand in stalling and obstructing debate on this bill on behalf of the oil companies. Senators Boxer, Reid and Warner have pounced to take them on and set the best possible context for the big vote. Today is our day to weigh in with Senators and ask them to: 

Vote Yes to break through the obstructionist and filibuster tactics of Republican leaders. Vote Yes to get to a real legislative process to amend and pass the Climate Security Act. Specifically, vote Yes on "Cloture" for the Boxer Substitute Amendment to the Climate Security Act, S. 3036. A "no" vote is a vote against prompt action on global warming and a clean energy future.

To keep up-to-date and access tools for calling your Senators, please visit National Wildlife Federation’s Climate Action Center at https://online.nwf.org/site/Advocacy?alertId=507&pg=makeACallhttps://online.nwf.org/site/Advocacy?alertId=507&pg=makeACall 

Republican leaders launched a series of irresponsible attempts to drag debate down yesterday, turning their back on senior Republicans like John Warner who have been working to advance legislation with the support of other Republicans including Senators Coleman, Dole, Snowe and Collins. The tactics include the highly unusual moves of requiring an 8-hour reading of the bill, word for word. They also created late night dramatics with a procedural move that caused Sen. Reid to send out the Sergeant at Arms to round up Senators in the dead of night to get sufficient Senators to proceed around midnight last night.

Debate today on the Senate floor will be from 11-4 today, although we expect a lot of finger pointing in the early hours as well when the Senate is on other business.

As we approach today’s vote, we have an opportunity to make a new appeal to Senators who are supportive of the Climate Security Act but have told us they are not yet ready to vote for it because they hoped to offer up amendments to improve it. We need them in this key test of support for serious action on global warming in order to break through these delay tactics. This will likely be the only clear, accountable vote on global warming legislation this year.

To keep up-to-date and access tools for calling your Senators, please visit National Wildlife Federation’s Climate Action Center at https://online.nwf.org/site/Advocacy?alertId=507&pg=makeACallhttps://online.nwf.org/site/Advocacy?alertId=507&pg=makeACall 

Public interest groups and others have issued the joint statement below to urge the Senate to end the filibuster immediately and have productive debate on climate solutions.

Center for American Progress Action Fund — Clean Water Action *

Defenders of Wildlife — Earthjustice — Environment America —

Environmental Defense Fund — League of Conservation Voters — League of

Women Voters — National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good

Shepherd — National Audubon Society — National Wildlife Federation —

Natural Resources Defense Council * Oxfam America — Pew Environment

Group — Physicians for Social Responsibility — Sierra Club — Union of

Concerned Scientists * The Wilderness Society * The World Wildlife

Fund

PUBLIC INTEREST GROUPS TO SENATE: END CLIMATE BILL FILIBUSTER;

AMERICANS DESERVE PRODUCTIVE DEBATE ON GLOBAL WARMING SOLUTIONS

WASHINGTON (June 5, 2008) – The Climate Security Act of 2008 (S. 3036)

— sponsored by Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-Ct.) and John Warner (R-Va.) —

potentially offers an opportunity to put our nation on the path to avoid

the worst consequences of global warming, but obstructionists in the

Senate are blocking debate. Leading U.S.environmental, conservation,

science, development, faith and grassroots advocacy organizations issued

the following statement:

*The opposition in the Senate must give up its strategy of denial,

delay and disinformation. Allies of the coal and oil industry are

hijacking the Senate floor at a time when an overwhelming majority of

Americans want our country to build a clean energy economy.

*The Senate should vote to end the filibuster immediately. Americans

deserve a productive debate on how we will address the climate crisis.*