Senate Democrats unveiled a much anticipated climate change bill today, the "Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act of 2009."
The plan is for a vote in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee by the end of October.
According to a draft released to media sources, the bill shoots a bit higher than the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) passed this summer by the House.
The Senate bill reportedly calls for a 20% cut in greenhouse gas emissions (below 2005 levels) by 2020, compared to 17% in the House bill.
Like the House bill, the Senate bill would create an economy-wide cap-and-trade program, though it does not include details about how emissions permits would be distributed–an issue of great contention among environmentalists, industry reps and lawmakers.
Some of the measures that have been detailed in the 800-page bill include the creation of emissions standards for commercial airlines. Reuters reported that the EPA would be required to work with the Federal Aviation Administration to write regulations for new aircraft and engines by the end of 2012.
The bill is co-sponsored by Senators Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and John Kerry (D-Mass.) and is likely to draw strong Republican opposition in the Senate, where 60 votes will be needed for passage.
"It’s a starting point for negotiations," Anthony Kreindler of the Environmental Defense Fund told the AP. "There are going to be efforts to strengthen it and efforts to weaken it."
Legislative hearings on the bill are expected the week of October 19th followed by mark-up in the week of October 26th. Five other committees having jurisdiction over aspects of the bill are: Finance, Foreign Relations, Agriculture, Commerce Science and Transportation, and Energy and Natural Resources.
Once each committee has completed their work, Senate leadership will assemble legislation designed to get the 60 votes necessary to pass a bill on the Senate floor. The timing for this process is currently unclear. There could be a floor vote by December, but climate legislation won’t be taken up prior to completion of the health care bill.
Endorsement of the Boxer-Kerry bill from business voices is critical at this time to bolster strong, effective legislation as the Senate process moves forward and to ensure that the momentum to bring a climate bill to a successful vote on the Senate floor as expeditiously as possible.
Contact your senators through this link:
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