Kerry, Boxer Introduce "Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act"

[ProSense]

09/30/2009

Kerry, Boxer Introduce "Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act"

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senators John Kerry (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Chairman of the Committee on Environment and Public Works, today introduced the Kerry-Boxer legislation to create clean energy jobs, reduce pollution, and protect American security by enhancing domestic energy production and combating global climate change.

The Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act will cut carbon pollution and stimulate the economy by creating millions of jobs in the clean energy sector.

“This is a security bill that puts Americans back in charge of our energy future and makes it clear that we will combat global climate change with American ingenuity. It is our country’s defense against the harms of pollution and the security risks of global climate change,” said Kerry. “Our health, our security, our economy, our environment, all demand we reinvent the way America uses energy. Our addiction to foreign oil hurts our economy, helps our enemies and risks our security. By taking decisive action, we can and will stop climate change from becoming a ‘threat multiplier’ that makes an already dangerous world staggeringly more so. I want to thank my partner in this important legislative mission, Senator Barbara Boxer, for helping to craft a bill that can put millions of Americans back to work, invest in homegrown innovation, and safeguard our children’s health and our environment.”

Senator Boxer said, “We know clean energy is the ticket to strong, stable economic growth -- it's right here in front of us, in the ingenuity of our workers and the vision of our entrepreneurs. We must seize this opportunity, or others will move ahead. This is our time. Global warming is our challenge. Economic recovery is our challenge. American leadership is our challenge. Let's step up right now. Let's not quit until we have fulfilled our responsibility to our children and our grandchildren. It is an honor to work side by side on this important legislation with Senator Kerry, who recognized very early that this issue is about America’s national and economic security.”

Attached to this release are several documents which outline the Kerry-Boxer legislation. For all other questions, please contact the senators’ press offices.

Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act

A New Start for Clean American Power and a New Economy

In this time of economic challenge, we have a unique opportunity to put Americans back to work and take charge of our security, our energy future and the fate of our planet. We have the chance to reclaim our energy destiny.

For too long, Washington has let oil companies, lobbyists, and special interests maximize their profits and minimize our progress. Our dependence on foreign oil has hurt our economy, helped our enemies, and put our national security at risk. It's time to invest in energy solutions that are made in America, and work for America. It's time to take back control.

This bill will get tough on corporate pollution and put American ingenuity to work to dramatically improve every facet of the way America generates and uses energy. It will create millions of new, good-paying jobs, protect our air and water from dangerous pollution, and secure our children's future by making America more energy independent. And it does not raise the federal deficit by one single dime.

A New Senate Approach to Achieving Energy Solutions

This bill takes a more comprehensive approach to the fundamental problems created by climate change and dwindling oil reserves than previous legislative measures. By the time it reaches the floor, the bill will reflect the concerns and advice of six Senate committees and dozens of our colleagues. The result will be a thoughtful, innovative and far-reaching solution to one of our most vital challenges.

Our efforts center around four urgent national priorities: putting America back in control of our energy future, reasserting American economic leadership and competitiveness, protecting our families from pollution, and ensuring our national security.

Business, political, and religious leaders are endorsing this plan, and to read a small selection of those quotes, click here(PDF).

For a look at the details of the legislation, please download any of these PDF documents:

Read an overview of the bill.

Read a summary of the bill.

Read a section by section summary of the bill.

Read the press release announcing the introduction of the bill.

Read a description of the Pollution Reduction and Investment mechanism in the bill.

Read the full bill text.