|
.
SENATE CASTS
HISTORIC VOTE ON MCCAIN-LIEBERMAN GLOBAL WARMING BILL
Despite Narrow Loss, Growing Support For Action Seen As Encouraging
For Immediate Release
Friday, Oct 31, 2003
WASHINGTON- Senators John McCain
(R-AZ) and Joe Lieberman (D-CT) said today that they were encouraged by
the strong Senate support for their legislation to curb global warming.
The bipartisan Climate Stewardship Act of 2003, which was defeated this
morning by a narrow margin of 43-55, represented the first time the Senate
has addressed the threat of global warming since 1998.
"We've lost a battle today, but
we'll win over time because climate change is real. And we will overcome
the influence of the special interests over time. You can only win by
marshaling public opinion," McCain said.
"Today we scored an important moral victory for protecting our environment
and combating global warming." Lieberman said. "President Bush has denied,
delayed and derailed any action on global warming. But today’s vote shows
that the political climate is changing on climate change, and the Congress
and the American people are warming up to action on global warming. Global
warming is now - and must remain - on the front burner of the national
environmental agenda."
According to a United Nations study, every ton of greenhouse gas emitted
into the atmosphere costs each American up to $160 - and we the U.S. is
currently emitting billions of tons each year. Property lost to rising sea
levels, cropland lost to draught, and revenues lost to dwindling fishing
stocks caused by global warming also represent real costs - not to mention
the immeasurable damage to Americans’ health and quality of living.
According to a recent Zogby poll, 75% of 1,200 citizens polled supported
requiring major industries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, with
more than 70% support in each region of the nation.
The McCain-Lieberman legislation, crafted in close consultation with
industry leaders and supported by the environmental community, is modeled
after the successful acid rain trading program of the 1990 Clean Air Act.
It would require a reduction in carbon dioxide emission levels to 2000
levels by the year 2010 by capping the overall greenhouse gas emissions
from the electricity generation, transportation, industrial, and
commercial economic sectors, and creating a market for individual
companies to trade pollution credits.
A recent MIT study estimated that McCain-Lieberman would cost
approximately $20 per household, and analysts predict that the impact on
U.S. GNP would be no more than .01%. A second study by the Tellus
Institute predicted that McCain-Lieberman would save Americans $48 billion
in net savings by 2020 due to reduced energy demand. The legislation has
the support of bipartisan group of 155 mayors across the country, the
National Farmers Union, 23 senior climate economists, and the ski
industry, the leading insurance underwriter in North America, and an
industry coalition that includes corporations such as Maytag and American
Gas Association have all expressed their support for the bill.
"We must take action, and act appropriately. Many have hidden for too long
behind what we do not know or the uncertainties around climate change.
Their shield is shrinking. The time has come for us to accept what is
known and start to solve this highly complex problem. As many of the top
scientists throughout the world have stated, the sooner we start to reduce
these emissions, the better off we will be in the future," McCain said.
"Global warming constitutes one of the great challenges of our time,
threatening our environment, our economy and our public health," Lieberman
said. "President Bush has failed to provide leadership in meeting this
growing threat, denying it exists and delaying any meaningful action.
Senator McCain and I seek to fill this leadership void and confront global
warming in a systematic and serious way by harnessing market forces and
opening new economic opportunities."
Co-sponsors of the legislation include Senators Daniel Akaka (D-HI),
Thomas Carper (D-DE), Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), Richard Durbin (D-IL), John
Edwards (D-NC), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Bill
Nelson (D-FL), Patty Murray (D-WA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME).
|
