Chairman of U.S. Senate Environment Committee Tells  Global Warming Delegates “Change is Already Happening In Washington”

Washington, DC - United States Senator Barbara Boxer (Democrat, California), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, released the following statement on the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali, Indonesia. The Environment and Public Works Committee voted December 5 to send to the full Senate far-reaching legislation that would set mandatory cuts in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and would establish a comprehensive, economy-wide cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gas emissions.

Senator Boxer said, "As Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, I want the delegates in Bali to know that change is already happening in Washington.

The historic vote in the Environment Committee on December 5 to send the Lieberman Warner Climate Security Act to the full Senate for consideration signals a rapidly growing commitment, in Congress and across America, to capping our greenhouse gas emissions so that we can avoid the dangerous consequences of inaction. Our work this week in Washington on an Energy Bill also reflects the high priority we have placed on addressing global warming.

As the clock ticks down on the Bush Administration, it is clear that the Congress believes strongly in acting to establish a mandatory cap and trade system to reduce our emissions of the pollution that causes global warming and avoid dangerous climate change.

I urge the delegates in Bali to be bold and strong. Nothing less will save our planet for our grandchildren."

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