Mayors disappointed as Climate Security Act stalls in Senate
The Climate Security Act, which includes funding for the much-anticipated Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program, appears to be stalled in the U.S. Senate, according to the Washington-based U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM). The Senate is “unwilling to move beyond initial debate” on the act, USCM President Douglas Palmer and Conference CEO and Executive Tom Cochran said in a joint statement.
Palmer, who is the Trenton, N.J., mayor, and Cochran said they were very disappointed in the lack of progress on the bill, which has been a major USCM initiative. “But, the fact that the proposed legislation included critical funding support for an Energy Block Grant for cities proves that Congressional leaders truly understand that real change is happening in our nation’s cities,” they said in the statement.
Sen. Joe Lieberman, ID-Conn., the bill’s sponsor, said in a statement Friday that 54 Senators had expressed support for the bill. “We have convinced a majority in the Senate to support mandatory, comprehensive, market-based legislation to curb global warming and enhance U.S. energy security,” Lieberman said. “We have brought this vital legislation within hailing distance of passage in the new Congress that begins in January. I am confident that the next Congress will pass and the next president will sign into law legislation addressing this critical problem.”
More information is available at www.usmayors.org and http://lieberman.senate.gov/.