What the Senate didn’t do
Senate majority leader Harry Reid (D) of Nevada announced last Thursday that comprehensive energy reform meant to address climate change could not be passed before the August break. Reid said that the Senate may pull together a scaled down energy bill but it certainly won’t include a critical price on carbon. The tragedy of this inaction is that there is a bill in the Senate that actually has bipartisan sponsors, and is a responsible and comprehesive approach to climate change with the interest of American citizens not polluters at heart. It’s the CLEAR Act and unbelievably neither Senator Boxer or Feinstein have signed on as a co-sponsor.
Take Action: Show that those who say this issue doesn’t motivate people to act are wrong. Call or write Senators Boxer and Feinstein, and ask them to co-sponsor the CLEAR Act. For a sample letter and contact information>
Several responses to the Senate’s lack of leadership.
Thomas Friedman, NY Times, “We’re Gonna Be Sorry.” For the article>
Joe Klein, Time, “There Will Be a Climate Bill… Soon.” (more upbeat) For the article>
Lee Wasserman, NY Times, “Four Ways to Kill a Climate Bill.” For the article>
