Climate Security Act Talking Points

The Climate Security Act is a common-sense environmental and economic response to the escalating threat of climate change, and Senators on both sides of the aisle should support it. Its policies will battle global warming, significantly reduce our oil dependence, and restore our competitiveness in the world.

• The American public wants action. Polls show a majority of Americans of all political parties – particularly Independents and younger voters – want real action from Congress on global warming. Voting for S. 3036 shows that Congress is ready to meet the challenges instead of ignoring the problems.
• America’s competitiveness is at stake. Voting against the Climate Security Act is ceding the market of new energy technologies and manufacturing jobs to others who act first. The Climate Security Act puts U.S. companies in the position to develop and own those technologies -- and the jobs that come with them. Supporting S. 3036 sends a strong signal to U.S. industry that it will be able to compete in the race.
• S. 3036 is the energy policy America needs now. The Climate Security Act will drive massive investment in alternative energy sources and break our dependence on foreign oil. If we pass S. 3036 now we can cut our oil imports by $160 billion through 2020 and $490 billion through 2030 (Source: MIT) – and we can grow our economy by 80 percent at the same time (Source: EPA, EIA).
• Opposing S. 3036 only emboldens those who want to protect the status quo of being hostage to ever higher oil prices, unchecked global warming, and loss of American competiveness.
• Inaction is not an option. The economic blow to the U.S. will be staggering if we don’t take effective action to reduce emissions soon. We’re already experiencing dangerous climate impacts – melting polar ice and rising sea levels, stronger storms, Western water scarcity, rising insurance rates, emerging national security threats – and they will only get worse as emissions rise.
• Delay is expensive. Every credible economic analysis says we can easily afford ambitious emissions reductions under cap and trade – but only if we start soon. Every year we delay, those reductions will have to be steeper to meet the same goal, and the economic costs will be higher.
• S. 3036 is the right approach. Cap and trade guarantees results at the lowest possible cost. First adopted for acid rain under the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, it’s one of America’s greatest environmental and economic success stories.
• S. 3036 helps America lead the world. The Climate Security Act uses America’s most powerful leverage – access to our markets – to compel action from China, India and other big emitters in the developing world, ensuring that we won’t go at it alone. The U.S. has never before waited for China to tackle global challenges, and it should not wait now.

The Climate Security Act is a historic opportunity for Congress to make progress in addressing climate change and begin leading America to a new era of energy independence – and show the American public it’s ready to tackle our most important national priorities.

Posted: 01-Jan-1900; Updated: 01-Jan-1900