Senate Takes a Step Towards Climate and Energy Legislation

In case you missed it, Senators John Kerry and Joe Lieberman finally unveiled the first version of the American Power Act, their take on comprehensive climate and energy legislation, last week.  This bill will be the point of departure for the Senate's debate about how to address America's climate and energy challenges for the long term.

The draft includes the Green Construction Careers Demonstration Project — a provision that, thanks to our combined advocacy efforts, the House included in the climate bill it passed almost a year ago.  The Green Construction Careers Demonstration Project would make sure vulnerable communities share in the new opportunities in the clean-energy economy.

Still, the Senate can do a lot more.  The final legislation must include clean-energy investments that maximize opportunities for quality job creation, specifically for unrepresented populations who traditionally have had little access to career-track jobs.  And it must maintain the full ability of states and the EPA to advance solutions to our environmental and economic challenges without politics impeding.

The Senate needs to hear from you.  They need to know that America is ready for a clean-energy economy.  They need to know that you not only want climate and energy legislation, but that you want it to be as strong as possible.

Please send a clear and strong message to your Senators that millions of Americans demand the U.S. Senate pass comprehensive clean-energy and climate legislation in 2010.