Leaders in the House plan to force a final vote next week on important but flawed climate change legislation. The American Clean Energy and Security Act (H.R. 2454) fails to ensure that U.S. greenhouse gas emissions will be cut quickly, deeply, and effectively. We at FCNL have been urging House committee members to strengthen the bill by eliminating concessions that would allow polluters to increase their greenhouse gas emissions for well over a decade.

You can help strengthen this bill by writing your representative today. Urge her or him to insist that the American Clean Energy and Security Act be strengthened to:

1.) Require quick, deep, and real cuts in greenhouse gas emissions before 2020;

2.) Eliminate provisions that allow polluters to continue polluting at current levels for over a decade;

3.) Remove free giveaways of pollution allowances to industry; and

4.) Ensure that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) retains authority to regulate greenhouse gases.

This will not be easy. Reps. Henry Waxman and Ed Markey, who sponsored this legislation, argue that their bill is already pushing the limits of what is currently politically possible in the House. But passing flawed legislation now could be worse than doing nothing, despite how hard congressional champions of the environment worked to craft a bill that can pass. It will leave the illusion that Congress has addressed climate change when in fact it has done very little.

Take Action

Write your representative today. Tell him or her that the American Clean Energy and Security Act (H.R. 2454) must be strengthened before it comes to a final vote on floor of the House next week. In our view at FCNL, it would be better to pass no legislation now, let the EPA begin to regulate greenhouse gases, and work harder to build support for a stronger bill in the future than to pass this legislation as is.

Background

Learn more about the strengths and weaknesses of this bill.

http://capwiz.com/fconl/issues/alert/?alertid=13185856

After weeks of negotiations, on May 21 the House Energy and Commerce Committee completed legislation that attempts to address the urgent energy and climate issues facing the nation.
 
The American Clean Energy and Security Act (H.R. 2454) is a first step, but the bill as written includes compromises that threaten to undermine the primary goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Urge your representative to:
 
1. Support climate legislation that results in quick, deep, and real cuts in greenhouse gas emissions;

2. Oppose exceptions that allow pollution to continue to rise for over a decade; and

3. Oppose giving away pollution allowances to industry.

Write your representative today and urge her or him to improve this climate change bill.