United States Campaigns

Climate Change Legislation in Congress

This summer, the House and Senate will debate S. 3036, bipartisan global warming legislation that would cap global warming pollution and reduce emissions from covered sectors by 70% below 2005 levels by 2050.

S.3036

Background
On December 5, 2007, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee passed S. 2191, America’s Climate Security Act (ACSA) by a vote of 11-8.  ACSA, sponsored by Senators John Warner (R-VA) and Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), was the first legislation containing an economy-wide carbon cap to be passed by a House or Senate committee.  This achievement laid new groundwork for future congressional actions on mandatory emissions reductions.  ACSA would: achieve significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions from power plants, manufacturers, petroleum refiners, natural gas processing plants, and other sectors of the economy; protect industry through flexible, market-based mechanisms; generate public revenue; and preserve states’ rights.

On May 21st, Barbara Boxer (D-CA), filed a substitute bill (S. 3036) that will be debated on the Senate floor beginning Monday, June 2nd. 

The pollution limits in S. 3036 apply to domestic greenhouse gas emissions from the power and industrial sectors, production of transportation fuels, and residential and commercial use of natural gas and heating oil.  The legislation will reduce emissions from these sources by 15% in 2020 and by 70% by 2050, compared to 2005 emissions levels.

• Letter of Support for S. 3036 (PDF)
  
  
• Q&A On the Boxer Substitute (PDF)
  
  
• Gas Prices under the Climate Security Act (PDF)
  
  
• How S. 3036 Allocates Funds (PDF)
  
  

Other Legislation

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Investing in Climate Action and Protection Act (iCAP)

Lead Sponsor – Ed Markey (D-MA)
iCAP was introduced by Representative Markey on Wednesday, May 28th.  According to the sponsor, the bill caps pollution at 85% below 2005 levels by 2050. More information on this bill (PDF)

Safe Climate Act (H.R. 1590)

Lead Sponsor – Henry Waxman (D-CA)
The Safe Climate Act freezes U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2010 at 2009 levels.  Beginning in 2011, it cuts emissions by roughly 2% per year, reaching 1990 emissions levels by 2020.  After 2020, it cuts emissions by roughly 5% per year.  By 2050, emissions will be 80% lower than in 1990.  The bill leaves the decision of which sectors are covered under the cap up to the Whitehouse.  The emissions targets are equal to the levels that scientist say the U.S. must meet if we are to do our share of keeping global temperatures from rising over 2°C, which is what science tells us will avoid the most dangerous effects of climate change. In terms of atmospheric levels, this would mean stabilizing global concentrations of CO2 equivalent (which accounts for all greenhouse gases) in the range of approximately 450–500ppm.  Currently, the Safe Climate Act has 142 cosponsors in the House, but has not yet had a committee vote.

Climate Stewardship Act (H.R. 620)

Lead Sponsors - John Olver (D-MA), Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD)
The Climate Stewardship Act freezes U.S. greenhouse gas emissions from the electric power, industrial, and commercial sectors in 2012, with a target of reaching 2004 levels by 2019, 1990 levels by 2029, 75% of 1990 levels by 2039, and 30% of 1990 levels by 2049 (resulting in an emissions reduction of approximately 70% below 1990 levels by 2050).  The reductions in the Climate Stewardship Act by 2050 are not equivalent to the levels that scientists say the U.S. must achieve if we are to stabilize atmospheric levels of CO2 equivalent in the range of 450–500ppm. Currently, the Climate Stewardship Act has 130 cosponsors in the House, but has not yet had a committee vote.

U.S. SENATE

Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act (S. 309)

Lead Sponsors – Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
The Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act achieves the same emissions reductions as Waxman’s Safe Climate Act; with a target of 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.  Like the Safe Climate Act, there is a 2% reduction from 2010–2020, reaching 1990 emissions levels by 2020.  Instead of a 5% cut after 2020, the targets are approximately 27% of 1990 levels by 2030, and 54% of 1990 levels by 2040.  The bill leaves the decision of which sectors are covered under the cap up to the EPA.  Also like the Safe Climate Act, the Boxer-Sanders bill would set the U.S. on a course to achieve the necessary reductions to help meet global stabilization targets of 450–500ppm.  Currently, the Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act has 19 cosponsors, but has not yet had a committee vote.

Global Warming Reduction Act (S. 485)

Lead Sponsors – John Kerry (D-MA), Olympia Snowe (R-ME)
The Global Warming Reduction Act leaves specific emissions targets and covered sectors up to the EPA, but specifies that 1990 greenhouse gas emission levels are reached by at least 2020, that there is at least an additional 2.5% cut each year from 2021–2030, and that there is at least an additional 3.5% cut each year from 2031–2050.  By 2050, the bill would achieve a reduction of approximately 62% below 1990 emission levels.  The reductions called for in GWRA would not be sufficient to meet the reduction targets scientists say the U.S. must hit to stay within the global stabilization range of 450–500ppm.   Currently, the Global Warming Reduction Act has two cosponsors, but has not yet had a committee vote.

Climate Stewardship and Innovation Act (S. 280)

Lead Sponsors – Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), John McCain (R, AZ)
The Climate Stewardship and Innovation Act of 2007 would similarly achieve an emissions reduction of approximately 60% below 1990 levels by 2050, from the electric power, industrial, commercial, and transportation sectors.  The intermediate targets are: 2004 levels by 2012 and 1990 levels by 2020; by 2030 emissions would be 78% of 1990 levels, and in 2050 they would be approximately 40% of 1990 levels.  Again, the reductions in CSIA are not equivalent to the levels that scientists say the U.S. must achieve if we are to stabilize emissions in the range of 450–500ppm.  Currently, the Climate Stewardship and Innovation Act of 2007 has 11 cosponsors, but has not yet had a committee vote.

Low Carbon Economy Act (S. 1766)

Lead Sponsors – Jeff Bingaman (D, NM), Arlen Specter (R, PA)
The Low Carbon Economy Act would limit greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector as well as emissions from transportation, residential, commercial and industrial sectors (at the refinery or port and at the natural gas processing plant) to 7.5% above 2006 levels by 2012, would achieve 2006 levels by 2020, and would achieve 1990 levels by 2030.  After 2030, the bill gives the President authority to establish long-term reductions of 60% or greater below 2006 levels.  The Bingaman-Specter bill is the only major piece of global warming legislation this congress that sets a “safety valve” (that would take affect at $12/ton of CO2 equivalent). The safety valve would allow emissions to continue to grow, rather than decreasing emissions to the levels scientists say we must hit in order to avoid the most dramatic impacts of climate change.  Currently, the Low Carbon Economy Act has six cosponsors, but has not yet had a committee vote. 

Comparison of the major principles of each piece of legislation (PDF)

Graphic comparison of emission reductions by the World Resources Institute (PDF)