Hero of the Middle Class Bernie Sanders Drafts Climate Change Bill

The only Senator who is on YOUR side drafts a bill tackling climate change. Flanked by ultra-liberal Barbara Boxer, Independent Bernie Sanders take on the challenge of reducing greenhouse emissions.

February 14, 2013

Comprehensive legislation to reverse climate
change was introduced in the Senate on Thursday by Sens. Bernie Sanders
and Barbara Boxer. She is chairman of the Senate Committee on
Environment and Public Works. He sits on that panel and the Senate
energy committee. “The leading scientists in the world who study climate
change now tell us that their projections in the past were wrong; that,
in fact, the crisis facing our planet is much more serious than they
had previously believed,” Sanders told a news conference in the
environment committee hearing room.

To read his full statement, click here. To read a summary of the Climate Protection Act and the Sustainable Energy Act , click here.

Under the legislation, a fee on carbon pollution emissions would fund
historic investments in energy efficiency and sustainable energy
technologies such as wind, solar, geothermal and biomass. The proposal
also would provide rebates to consumers to offset any efforts by oil,
coal or gas companies to raise prices.

Boxer is. Sanders sits on the environment committee and also is a member of the Senate energy committee.

Flanking Sanders and Boxer at the news conference were environmental
and consumer leaders including Bill McKibben, the Ripton, Vt., founder
of 350.org; Mike Brune, executive director of Sierra Club; Tara
McGuiness, executive director of the Center for American Progress Action
Fund; Tyson Slocum, Public Citizen’s energy director; and Meg Power of
the National Community Action Foundation.

“Sens. Sanders and Boxer actually understand the depth of the climate
problem we face. We are awfully grateful to them for starting us down
the legislative path that could reverse our disastrous course. We hope
and trust that they won't have to be a lone voice,” said McKibben, one
day after his arrest at a White House protest on a controversial oil
pipeline from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.

“Climate disruption is one of the most pressing challenges of our
time and we must move forward with solutions on all fronts. While all
eyes are on President Obama’s pending actions to cut carbon emissions
from power plants, halt risky drilling in America's arctic, and reject
the dirty and dangerous Keystone XL pipeline, we need champions in the
Senate like Bernie Sanders and Barbara Boxer pushing strong,
comprehensive climate solutions that can double down on these critical
administrative actions,” added Brune.

“Pricing carbon is an important tool to address climate change, and
this legislation ensures that working families aren’t penalized by
dedicating 3/5 of revenues to a per-capita family refund. This will
protect families at the same time we seek to protect the climate,” said
Slocum, Public Citizen’s energy program director.