FANTASTIC piece in Grist written by Senator Kerry!

[beachmom]

I mean, he really addresses all the questions we have been having:

http://www.grist.org/article/2010-05-12-introducing-the-american-power-act-on-the-strategy-and-substance

Here are two examples:

First, the Senate dynamic - the politics of this place. I want to be candid about this, and I do so with a record on this issue that I think earned me the spurs to say this. We've been at this a long time. Al Gore and I held the Senate's first climate change hearings in the Commerce Committee way back in 1988. Since then, precious little progress has been made and ground has been lost internationally, all while the science has grown more compelling. I can barely even count any more the number of international summits I've attended, or press conferences we've held after losing climate change votes in the Senate where our message was: “next year, we can get this done -- don't give up on the United States or the Senate.” Two Congresses ago, we had 38 votes for a bill. Last Congress, we had 54 votes for cloture out of 60 needed -- and we said then -- me, Joe, Barbara Boxer -- that this Congress we could get to 60 and pass a bill.

So what have we done? A lot of meeting and listening -- between me, Joe Lieberman, and Lindsey Graham, hundreds of meetings one on one with our colleagues to find out what they needed to support a bill. And I absolutely believe we're closer than ever to getting across the finish line -- but make no mistake, it remains difficult, even with President Obama in the White House, and even with the House of Representatives having passed their bill by the slimmest of margins last summer. But we're going full steam ahead because, in my judgment, this may be the last and certainly the best chance for the Senate to act, especially with the fact that I think the next Senate -- given a 2012 presidential campaign added to the dynamic and a lot of new Senators is going to be less likely than this one to find a path to the 60 votes needed for passage. So we've got to get it done this year.

And here are three important issues in the bill:

Clean Air Act: this part of the bill has generated a lot of commentary and reporting recently, and some of it has just missed the mark. Here's the deal: this bill does not take the EPA out of the mix on regulating carbon. In fact, it strengthens the Clean Air Act by expanding the authority of the EPA and making that authority permanent. First, the entire pollution reduction program is under the authority of the EPA. The bill specifically requires the EPA to regulate large sources of carbon pollution, but it does not allow it to issue what in many cases would be duplicative regulation of the same sources. Essentially, what the bill says is that EPA should use the program specifically designed for making the deep reductions in carbon pollution called for in the bill. The bill preserves key Clean Air Act tools for sources not in the program, and it calls on EPA to continue setting tough emission standards to reduce global warming pollution from cars and trucks. It also continues EPA's ability to set performance standards for old, dirty power plants to make sure they clean up.

Offshore drilling: We're in the middle of a catastrophe in the Gulf, and it's important that we fully understand the implications as we move forward. This bill starts that process by tightening current federal law and implementing two major reforms. First, any state can veto drilling less than 75 miles off its border. Second, any new rig will have to be studied for the environmental impact of any potential spill, and any state that is found to be at risk can veto that drilling.

State laws: The long-standing efforts of states like California to implement innovative programs around vehicle emissions and other programs will not be affected. The bill does make clear that carbon is a national problem, and that the national policy on carbon needs to be the law of the land. But outside of that specific area, states are still free to pursue the policies that they wish. I've talked with Governor Patrick about this -- Massachusetts has been one of the states ahead of the curve and our bill rewards them -- but like acid rain, these Governors know we ultimately need a national solution.

I think that offshore drilling provision was for Senator Bill Nelson of Florida.

Of course, read the entire piece. I am still reading.

[ProSense]

1. This is excellent. I just read it

and posted it in GDP.

I love the time line of progress from 1988 to now.

We need a climate bill this year.

[karynnj]

2. Fantastic is right

He really did answer many of our questions.

[ProSense]

3. Nice piece here by

Steve Benen:

<...>

Nevertheless, Kerry has a compelling case to make to his colleagues.

(W)e're still stuck or moving backwards -- our economy constantly rattled by the volatile price of oil, our planet's climate increasingly unstable thanks to the pollution we're pumping into the atmosphere.

And, oh yes, we're sending billions of dollars a day overseas, with the global oil market enriching some of the most autocratic and anti-American regimes around the world. Here's one fact to stiffen the spine: as my friend Jon Powers and his band of veterans remind me, every day we keep going with what we're doing makes Iran $100 million richer and takes over a billion dollars out of our economy. Every single day.

That's why I'm doubling down on the proposal I'm rolling out today with Senator Lieberman.... It's a practical pathway to finally end our addiction to oil, put Americans back in control of our own power production, and release the innovation and ingenuity of Americans to build the clean energy economy we need to build prosperity in the 21st century.

It'll help us create nearly 2 million new jobs, develop new products, and support the research and development to help us maintain leadership in the global economy. And it'll even reduce the deficit by about $21 billion in nine years.

As for the APA's prospects, as we've discussed before, getting a climate/energy bill through the Senate was going to be tough under normal circumstances. Now, the challenge is arguably even greater -- Kerry and Lieberman have to find a way to break a Republican filibuster; they have to keep business interests on board; they have to keep Midwestern Dems from jumping ship; they have to thread a needle on increased oil drilling; and they have to consider what happens in the House in the event the Senate actually passes their bill. Oh, and they have to do it all rather quickly, while Republicans try to run out the clock, and with other agenda items battling for attention.

But I give Kerry and Lieberman credit for tackling this, despite the odds, because it's absolutely necessary. Republicans will almost certainly make significant gains in the midterms, and much of the GOP considers climate science some kind of nefarious plot cooked up by communists. If the bill dies this year, after having already passed the House, we may not see another vote on the issue at all until 2013, at the earliest.

[blm]

4. THIS NEEDS TO GET POSTED IN GD OR GDP.

Need a strong excerpt from Benen for subject headline to counter the crap.

[ProSense]

5. President Obama

on the bill.

[beachmom]

6. Did you notice the error? It's not ACES, it's the American Power Act.

There were jokes on Twitter that he thanked "Sen. Carey" on it. I mean, why don't they know the name of the bill?