WASHINGTON, DC (June 4, 2008) - Today Senate Republicans repeatedly refused to waive a full reading of the Climate Security Act (S.3036, Boxer-Lieberman-Warner substitute), forcing the clerk to begin reading the entire 491-page bill out loud.

Jeremy Symons, executive director of the National Wildlife Federation's global warming campaign, said today:

"Senate Republicans are literally throwing the book at this bill to help oil companies block any action on global warming and a clean energy future. By stalling this bill, Senate Republicans can only stall America's economy. We need to jumpstart our economy with action now to invest in new technology and create clean energy jobs.

"The choice is clear - recharge the economy or let it sit in neutral. Move forward with legislation that addresses an enormous problem while transforming our energy future or stick your head in the sand and hide behind Big Oil propaganda.

"America is ready for a new energy future. If opponents succeed in blocking action on climate change, they will block America's path to a new and stronger economy. The Climate Security Act deserves real debate, not Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's procedural trickery and delay tactics."

To learn more about the economic impacts of the Climate Security Act, download the National Wildlife Federation's Recharging America's Economy fact sheet (PDF).

The National Wildlife Federation is the nation's largest conservation organization inspiring Americans to protect wildlife for our children's future.

On Monday, the U.S. Senate opened debate on the Climate Security Act (Boxer-Warner-Lieberman Substitute Amendment, S. 3036). The motion to proceed passed easily on a 74-14 vote, an indication that the vast majority of senators rejected the roadblock approach of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK).

Nevertheless, Minority Leader McConnell launched a strategy of delaying the serious debate and votes on amendments to this legislation by forcing 30 hours of debate before the first votes begin. The stall tactics are a sure sign that the minority leader intends to make Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid choose between a lengthy floor fight on global warming and other pressing senate bills before the Fourth of July recess.

While the debate about the Climate Security Act is still up in the air, with both sides uncertain how close the bill is to the 60 needed to overcome a filibuster, one thing is clear: the senators willing to side with Sen. Inhofe, who infamously claimed global warming was a "hoax," is down to 14. Republicans deserted Sen. Inhofe and Minority Leader McConnell in droves.   

The 14 senators backing the roadblock strategy were: Byrd, Bunning, Shelby, Craig, DeMint, Hatch, Enzi, Barasso, Sessions, Coburn, Kyl, McConnell, Allard, and Inhofe. For a roll call by state, go here.

The huge number of senators willing to open debate shows how critical this week's amendments will be. Dozens of senators could be swayed. As the National Wildlife Federations Jeremy Symons said, "The fence is so crowded you can hear it creaking."

Climate action opponents succeeded in stretching the debate to 30 hours of debate before amendments can be even be offered, meaning first amendments will not come until Wednesday. It was a blatant attempt to delay and drag out the bill procedurally.

 
The Climate Security Act aims to cut carbon dioxide emissions by setting up a cap-and-trade system, putting a price on global warming pollution. Revenues from the program would be used to promote the development of new low-emission and efficient technologies, help working families with energy costs, and protect America 's natural resources.

There are extensive online resources available to help you break down the impacts of climate change and solutions:

• The National Wildlife Federation's website has fact sheets for all 50 states and Puerto Rico detailing local impacts of climate change.
  
• Our Recharging America's Economy (PDF) fact sheet takes complex economic analyses of the Climate Security Act and breaks them down into easy-to-understand impacts.
  
• A Natural Resources Defense Council report, The Cost of Climate Change, breaks down the cost of inaction with a regional risk breakdown.

The scale of the global marketplace for energy technologies is as large as the computer and IT industry that creates 35 million jobs globally.

America should drive the clean energy revolution; we cannot afford to take a back seat. The Climate Security Act would reinvigorate our efforts to make sure that the world's solutions to global warming carry the "made in America " label.

On Monday, more than 170 conservation groups released a letter to the Senate in support of the specific Natural Resources Adaptation titles of the Climate Security Act. Signers ranged from major national conservation groups, including the Union of Concerned Scientists and American Rivers, to regional and local organizations such as the Healing our Waters Great Lakes Coalition and Grand Canyon Wildlands Council.

This latest letter follows up on a broad call for dedicated funding from global warming legislation to protect wildlife and natural resources from global warming. Earlier this year, 700 grassroots hunting and fishing organizations called on members of Congress to “cosponsor climate change legislation that includes dedicated funding for fish and wildlife conservation and restoration through a 'cap and trade' system and achieves a 2 percent per year reduction in pollution from carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.”

This letter was followed up by 30 national hunting and fishing groups, specifically endorsing the natural resources titles in the Climate Security Act.

Additionally, 600 biologists and climate scientists signed a letter saying that “Congress must craft legislation that greatly reduces greenhouse gas pollution and generates substantial dedicated funding to protect and restore wildlife and ecosystems harmed by global warming.”

The National Wildlife Federation circulated a new report to senators yesterday highlighting the "urgent need for climate change legislation."

We see this as perhaps the most important conservation bill we have ever worked on, both because of the emissions reductions, as well as protections for natural resources threatened by inevitable global warming," said John Kostyack of the National Wildlife Federation.

Written by two former chairmen of the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire's Forests, this oped published in the Union Leader describes how the Climate Security Act would benefit Northwest forests:

The Climate Security Act is a remarkable piece of legislation that Sens. Judd Gregg and John Sununu can proudly support. Not only does the bill cut the global warming pollution that poses such a severe threat to New Hampshire's forests and the industries that depend on them, it also positions New Hampshire's forests to be a key part of the solution. By shifting the economics of our energy system in favor of lower carbon-emitting sources, New Hampshire's forests can help provide our state and the nation with clean, renewable energy to fuel our economy using wood products from our properly managed forests.

Go here to read more.

Picture this: The U.S. Senate set to vote on establishing a cap-and-trade program to reduce pollution and invest in clean energy technologies. Some Senators arguing the bill is unacceptable because it risks increasing gasoline and electricity prices.

The 2008 Senate debating the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act? No. The 2005 Senate debating the McCain-Lieberman Climate Stewardship Act.

The logic against climate action was as deeply flawed then as it is now. The era of cheap oil is over. In the years since the bill was defeated, gasoline prices have increased more than $1.30 per gallon and oil companies are enjoying profits that have shattered all records. The pain for consumers from our failed energy policies hasn't stopped at the gas pump. Electric companies have raised rates by an average of 26 percent in the past five years.

The Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act aims to cut carbon dioxide emissions by setting up a cap-and-trade system, putting a price on global warming pollution. Revenues from the program would be used to promote the development of new low-emissions and efficient technologies, helping low- and middle-income families with energy costs, and preserving America's natural resources. The Senate is expected to begin floor debate on the legislation in early June.

To better understand the economics of the Climate Security Act, check out this new fact sheet. It describes the opportunities of clean energy - not just easing our addiction to oil, but millions of new jobs designing, building, installing, and maintaining solar panels and wind turbines.

The scale of the global marketplace for energy technologies is as large as the computer and IT industry that creates 35 million jobs globally. America should drive the clean energy revolution; we cannot afford to take a back seat. The Climate Security Act would reinvigorate our efforts to make sure that the world's solutions to global warming carry the "made in America" label.