Two of the U.S. Senate's biggest environmental boosters have launched a drive to revive the issue of climate change in Congress and defend President Barack Obama's climate action plan against opposition from Republicans.
Democratic senators Barbara Boxer of California and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island told reporters on Thursday they would launch a new climate action task force with more than a dozen members and the full support of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
The task force is likely to introduce a number of small-scale bills and will push for increased discussion on climate topics in the full Senate.
The task force will also consult with officials at the White House, including John Podesta, the president's newly appointed adviser specializing in energy and environmental matters.
"The purpose is to use the bully pulpit of our Senate offices to achieve that wakeup call," Boxer told reporters during a meeting in her office. "We believe that climate change is a catastrophe that's unfolding before our eyes and we want Congress to take off the blindfolds."
In recent years Boxer, who chairs the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, spearheaded a few failed attempts to pass legislation that would put a price on carbon emissions by establishing an economy-wide cap-and-trade system.
While she and Whitehouse said that is still at the top of their wish list, they know they do not have the votes to achieve that goal in a bitterly divided Congress.
Among the smaller-scale bills being mulled is one to protect the government's renewable fuel standard proposal, and one to improve energy efficiency in federal buildings, she said.
Although the task force, whose members will be announced at an event on Tuesday, will "be on the offensive," Boxer said they will also work to protect federal and state initiatives already in place that are aimed at reducing carbon emissions.
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Boy they sure got great timing with a week of record low temps throughout the world these people want to reengage the global warming debate!! :lol: :lol: :lol:
Yea while we freeze our asses off. Friggin morons.
Quote from: Bronx on January 09, 2014, 02:41:44 PM
Yea while we freeze our asses off. Friggin morons.
A brilliant move!! is this their latest attempt to move a way from obamacare? brilliant democrap maneuver!! so Lets show everyone just Dumb we are on other issues too!! :lol: :lol: :lol: