bill passes Senate with
big bipartisan majority
In an overwhelming show of bipartisan support for climate legislation, the Growing Climate Solutions Act (S. 1251) sailed through the Senate last week by a vote of 92-8. Sponsored by Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN) and Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), the bill would assist farmers and foresters to access carbon credit markets and get paid for sequestering carbon on their land. A companion bill, sponsored by Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07) and Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE-02), awaits action in the House. Since the bill was introduced in the previous Congress, Citizens’ Climate Lobby volunteers have played a key role in enlisting bipartisan support for the bill, which CCL views as legislation that would complement carbon pricing by addressing emissions from agriculture. In lobby meetings last fall and this spring, volunteers brought up the Growing Climate Solutions Act as a “supporting ask” with their senators. Late last month, when it appeared the bill would be heading to the floor, volunteers sent 4,397 messages to senators asking them to vote in favor of the legislation. “We are happy CCL was able to play a role in advancing this positive and pragmatic legislation, and we’re proud that it has passed with such overwhelming bipartisan support,” Danny Richter, CCL Vice President of Government Affairs, said in a press release. “CCL staff and supporters are especially grateful to Senators Braun and Stabenow for their leadership on this issue.” If they voted for the GCSA, write and thank your senators with our online action tool.
In other news this week: Cosponsors keep coming: Five more House members joined the ranks of cosponsors for the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act — Rep. Marie Newman (IL-03), Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11), Rep. Adam Schiff (CA-28), Rep. Jerry Nadler (NY-10) and Rep. Lloyd Doggett (TX-35). There are now 75 cosponsors on this carbon pricing bill introduced by Rep. Ted Deutch (FL-22). ICYMI, other carbon pricing bills: If you haven’t seen it yet, check out our recent blog about other carbon pricing bills that have been introduced in the 117th Congress. You’ll see that there’s more than one way to price carbon, and this overview offers a glimpse of features that may eventually find their way into legislation. Republican op-ed mentioned in Times: Earlier this month, CCL volunteers in Utah got endorsements for carbon fee and dividend from 25 Republican state officials who expressed their support in an op-ed published in the Deseret News. The op-ed was mentioned last week in a New York Times story about Republican engagement on climate change. Jobs available with CCL: Citizens’ Climate Education is currently hiring for three full time positions: Development Coordinator, Content Marketing Manager, and Government Affairs Coordinator. We are also hiring for two six-month-long contract positions: Indiana Conservative Climate Field Organizer, Utah Conservative Climate Field Organizer. |