They Need to Be Held Accountable

The Climate Security Act being debated today is the most important climate legislation our lawmakers have ever considered.

This bipartisan bill would reduce global warming pollution, recharge America’s economy by investing in clean energy technologies and jobs, protect consumers from rising energy costs by diversifying our energy choices, reduce our dependency on oil and other fossil fuels, and invest dedicated financial resources in restoring and protecting America’s natural resources threatened by global warming.

The American people have spoken. We have asked for meaningful climate action to put our country on the path to a bright energy future.

With so much at stake, I am profoundly disappointed by the response of some of our senators. Instead of leading our nation, some are more worried about scoring political points than in working with the Climate Security Act’s bipartisan sponsors to engage in meaningful debate.

A confidential memo outlines the strategy of these detractors. They plan to put their energies into obstructionist tactics and make it as difficult as possible to move forward for action.

The memo reads:

"The thinking right now is still to use as much of the 30 hours

post-cloture on the motion to proceed for debate on thematically-group

amendments. The goal is for a theme (e.g. climate bill = higher gas

prices) each day, and the focus is much more on making political points

than in amending the bill, changing the baseline text for any future

debate or affecting policy.

"After the 30 hours is consumed, GOP expects Reid to either fill the

tree or set up a procedure that allows him to control the flow of

amendments. GOP anticipates a struggle over which amendments are debated

and eventually finger-pointing over blame for demise of the bill. In

the GOP view, this will take at least the rest of the week, and

hopefully run into next week.

"At some point, Reid will have to move from the bill, and GOP plans to

oppose UC and potentially force debate on debatable motions, and vote

against cloture on any such motion. While Reid will eventually be able

to circumvent by moving to a privileged vehicle (e.g., budget resolution

conference report) or using some other parliamentary maneuver, the

bottom line is that the GOP very much wants to have this fight, engage

in it for a prolonged period, and then make it as difficult as possible

to move off the bill."

Confronting the climate crisis isn’t about right or left. It’s about right and wrong. Kudos to the brave Senators on both sides of the aisle who have stood up for our country’s future and supported this bill. They are showing us what true leadership is all about.

For those senators who are choosing instead to score political points, there will be an accounting.

Call your Senators today and urge them to "Vote yes for the Climate Security Act" and stop any further delays.

A yes vote is a yes to continue debate on the Climate Security Act. A no vote is a vote to kill the bill for this Congress and squash any chances to pass strong global warming legislation this year.

Even if you have already called your senators, call them again.