Politically, it's been a long hot summer. The healthcare reform debate is raging across the country, and members of Congress have been feeling the heat as they attend town hall meetings. But healthcare is not the only issue bubbling on the pavements this summer.
In June, the House of Representatives passed legislation that will for the first time place a limit on global warming pollution in the United States. The bill will not only cut greenhouse gas emissions, it will make investments in renewable energy, creates millions of green collar jobs, help to wean us from foreign sources of energy, and ensure a smooth transition from an economy based on polluting fossil fuels to one based on clean and green energy. But there is still much work to be done before this bill becomes law.
The vote in the House on the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) was a close one, 219-212. The bill is now in the Senate where its fate is less certain. While those opposing healthcare reform have been loud and outspoken, there is a less visible but equally motivated opposition working hard to defeat the climate bill. The fossil fuel industry is spending millions of dollars trying to kill the bill. It came to light last week that energy companies have been busing their employees to "citizen rallies" against climate legislation. Meant to look like grassroots opposition to the bill, it is in fact a well-funded and sophisticated PR campaign organized by companies that include ExxonMobil and Chevron. These companies, and many others, are encouraging their employees to attend industry funded rallies, and are going so far as to provide transportation, t-shirts, and even hand-written signs, all in an effort to make the events seem like a grassroots movement. But, unlike the current healthcare debate, where public opinion genuinely seems split on the best approach, the consensus on climate change is clear. A recent poll by John Zogby showed that 71% of Americans support the American Clean Energy and Security Act.
While an overwhelming majority of Americans are supporting strong action on global warming, many of us who support the bill have been silent, which hurts us as the opposition gets louder. Members of the Senate have two more weeks of summer break, and I want to encourage you to join us in voicing strong support for Senate action on the ACES bill. Over the next two weeks, reach out to your Senator, attend a town meeting, schedule a visit to his office, let him or her know you care about this issue. You can find contact information for your Senator here. Our good friends at CERES have put together a tool kit with talking points that may be helpful, available here (pdf).
This is another crucial moment in the fight for climate solutions, and it is important that your Senator hear from you. We will be doing our part, and we hope you will join us in that effort. We will keep you updated as the debate moves into the fall and towards a vote in the Senate. Thank you for being engaged in this very important issue!
Chris Miller
Inspirator, Corporate Consciousness
