Legislation dealing with climate is now being considered
in the Senate’s discussion of the Energy Bill
Here are some helpful pieces to help you speak up effectively
on behalf of the PC(USA)’s longstanding commitment to stewardship of our
environment. [6-21-05]
Urgent Alert
The Washington Office of the PC(USA)
Presbyterian Climate Alert
Urge Senators to Address Climate Change
Tell Them to Add a Climate Change Amendment to the
Energy Bill
Call Now! 1-888-556-5790 (toll free)
June 14, 2005: Climate and energy issues have been at the
heart of ecumenical and interfaith cooperation in the faith-based
environmental movement. The ethical themes of stewardship and justice, and
the basic principle of sustainability, are very prevalent when discussing
climate/energy.
General Assemblies of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
have repeatedly called for U.S. action to address climate change. In 2003,
the 215th General Assembly passed a resolution that "calls on the United
States government to join in the world effort to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions." (Minutes, PC(USA), p. 617)
Within the next week, the US Senate will be discussing and
acting on its comprehensive energy bill. There will be votes on many
important amendments, include climate legislation. Before the Senators vote,
they need to hear voices from the religious community so that they can move
this energy legislation in a positive direction and address climate change.
Call or email your two Senators within the next few days
-- today if at all possible -- and voice your faithful commitments. Talk to
them about two broad topics:
Climate change -- insist that the energy bill include
provisions that will bring about a real reduction in greenhouse gas
emissions from the US. The McCain-Lieberman Climate Stewardship Act, is
expected to be offered as an amendment to the energy bill. Urge your
Senators to support the Climate Stewardship Act amendment, which will result
in real reductions in emissions.
Renewable energy and energy efficiency -- insist that the
energy bill focus on ways to reduce the use of fossil fuels, though energy
efficiency and the development of renewable energy sources.
Call-in Tips: If you call your Senators' Washington, DC
offices, ask to speak to the legislative aide who handles environmental
issues. Your input will be more powerful through that channel. If you call a
local office, you can leave a short message with the person who answers the
phone.
Talking Points: Don't be afraid to speak of the ways that
your faith and the PC(USA)’s teachings on restoring creation shape your
concern about these policies. Don't feel that you need to be an expert on
technical policy questions -- your core convictions are what need to be
heard.
You can find out the names and phone numbers of your
Senators, go to
http://capwiz.com/pcusa/dbq/officials/.
As people of faith, we are called to responsible
stewardship of God's wondrous creation. Advocacy on the comprehensive energy
bill that addresses climate change is one important part of our
discipleship.
Thank you for contacting your Senators on this very
important legislation.
Published by the Stewardship of Public Life (SPL) advocacy
program of the Washington Office, Presbyterian Church (USA), 100 Maryland
Avenue NE, Washington, D.C. 20002, (202) 543-1126,
www.pcusa.org/washington/
For more information about the content of this article,
please e-mail Carolynn Race, at
crace@ctr.pcusa.org.
If you are not a member of our SPL networks, but would
like to be, please click here.
If you would like to use our congressional e-mail contact
system for your letter,
please click here.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An update from the Sound Science
Initiative of the Union of Concerned Scientists
******************** SPECIAL NOTICE
********************
Today, June 21st, the US Senate may vote on several
climate change-related measures. Each of the climate measures are expected
to be offered as amendments to the Energy Bill (H.R. 6) currently being
debated by the Senate.
The measures are: a bill by Sen. Hagel (R-NE) that would
provide incentives for technology development but would not establish any
mandatory reduction in heat-trapping emissions; a bill by Sen. Jeff Bingaman
(D-NM) that would modestly curb the growth of heat-trapping emissions
between 2010 and 2020; and a revised bill by Sens McCain (R-AZ) and
Lieberman (D-CT) that would establish an economy-wide cap on carbon
emissions.
The revised bill by Senators McCain and Lieberman, known
as the Climate Stewardship and Innovation Act (CSIA) differs from their
previous Climate Stewardship Act in that the CSIA includes a technology
package, part of which calls for subsidies for construction for new nuclear
power plants. The bill offered by Sen. Bingaman (D-NM) is based on the
recommendations by the "National Commission on Energy Policy." In addition
to the modest curb on the growth of heat-trapping emissions, the bill would
establish a $7 per ton limit on the price of carbon.
All three measures are being offered as amendments to the
Energy Bill, which the Senate is currently debating. A vote on one or all of
these measures could happen as early as today. Below is an article from the
Associated Press that provides some additional context on the current
debate.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lobbying heats up as climate
vote nears
A report in the Washington Post helps give a sense of the
lobbying going on as the Senate considers how to deal the energy bill
The Union of Concerned Scientists is a nonprofit
partnership of scientists and citizens combining rigorous scientific
analysis, innovative policy development, and effective citizen advocacy to
achieve practical environmental solutions. To learn more about UCS, please
visit us on the web at: <
http://www.ucsusa.org >.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Southern Alliance for
Clean Energy offers specific points to make in talking with Senators (or
their staffs).
A national energy bill could be a great opportunity to
move the country to a more sustainable, cleaner energy future. However,
lobbyists for the fossil fuel and nuclear industry have been pushing for an
energy bill that perpetuates our reliance on fossil fuels and threatens our
environment and public health. The National Energy Bill is currently in
mark-up in the Senate. On a daily basis new amendments are being added to
the Bill; some are steps in the right directions, most are not. Please call
your Senators TODAY and tell them you want an Energy Bill and amendments on
the Bill that:
