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.