Raleigh—Environment North
Carolina today applauded Senator Elizabeth Dole for voting to advance the
Climate Security Act (S. 3036), the most comprehensive global warming
legislation ever considered by the full Senate.
Unfortunately, by a vote of 48-36, the Senate fell short of the 60-vote
threshold needed to move forward with the bill, causing consideration of the
bill to end without any substantive votes on the measure. Sen. Richard Burr was among the 48 Senators
who voted against proceeding with the legislation. An additional six senators, who missed the
vote, submitted statements indicating they would have voted to move forward had
they been present.
“We applaud Senator Dole for
breaking with her party’s leadership and voting to advance global warming
legislation,” said Environment North Carolina Director Elizabeth Ouzts.
Scientists warn that if we
don’t act quickly and boldly to reduce our emissions of global warming
pollution, the United States and the world risk devastating damage to our
environment, economy, and way of life.
The United States must commit to the emission reductions science tells
us are necessary, make polluters pay for their pollution, and aggressively
promote the energy efficiency and renewable energy infrastructure that will enable
us to transition to a clean energy economy, according to Environment North
Carolina.
“The solutions exist today
that can get us much of the way there.
And states across the country are already making these solutions a
reality,” said Ouzts.
“Unfortunately, the Senate
Republican leadership, backed by Big Oil and coal and a presidential veto
threat, made clear this week that they are intent on blocking action on global
warming. At every turn, they used
procedural maneuvers to obstruct consideration of the bill,” said Ouzts.
“Next time around, the
polluters and their allies in Congress won’t get off so easy. In the weeks and months ahead, we’ll educate and
mobilize the American public on the urgent need for action to stop the worst
effects of global warming and the many opportunities inherent in a massive
transition to a clean energy economy, helping to pave the way for stronger legislation
next year that will get the job done,” concluded Ouzts.
