Senators Face-Off Over Kerry-Boxer Bill

By Leah Valencia, University of New Mexico- Talk Radio News Service

Senators faced off over the cost of the Kerry-Boxer climate change bill Tuesday when co-author Sen. John Kerry testified that he believed although the legislation would increase energy costs, a lack of action would cause worse problems for the environment and U.S. security.

“Are there some costs? Yes sir, there are some costs,” said Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) in his testimony before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “[But] none of them factor in the cost of doing nothing.”

However, some Republican members were not so willing to brush aside the prospect of higher energy costs.

“Cap and trade is very expensive. This is something the American people can’t tolerate and I don’t think they will,” said Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), the committee’s ranking member.

The Clean Energy Jobs And American Power act seeks to reduce greenhouse emissions by 20 percent within the next decade.

Kerry added that working to reduce dependency on fossil fuels would allow the U.S. to be a leader in developing new technologies, and thus creating new jobs.

“America’s leadership is on the line here,” Kerry said.

White House Officials agreed with Kerry’s assertion during their testimonies before the committee.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu warned that if the U.S. does not act fast to be on the forefront of developing green technologies, other countries would.

Many committee members, including some Democrats like Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), questioned the feasibility of the ambitious bill.