Today, America faces the unprecedented challenges of confronting global warming as well as solving the current energy crisis. Both problems require a rapid transformation of our energy future to greater energy efficiency and clean, renewable energy. Scientists warn that we only have a brief window to act in order to stave off the worst impacts of global warming, such as increases in hurricane intensity, forest fire frequency, and intense rain storms. Global warming is endangering water supplies, public health, agriculture, infrastructure, our natural environment, and threatens to reduce the world's economic output by up to 20 percent if left unchecked.

In June, the Senate took up consideration of S. 2191, the Climate Security Act, comprehensive legislation to cut global warming pollution and drive rapid investment in the clean energy economy. The Climate Security Act would have reduced global warming pollution 17-19% below 2005 levels by 2020 and 57-63% below 2005 levels by 2050. Through a flexible market mechanism, the bill allowed major polluters to choose the most cost-efficient way to reduce pollution and buy pollution allowances to cover each ton of pollution that they continue to emit. The bill would have diversified America's energy supply, ensured America leads the clean energy revolution, reduced our dependence on foreign oil, and recharged America's economy.

Opponents of the Climate Security Act mounted a filibuster against it. On June 6, the Senate voted to continue the process towards the bill's final passage. Six senators who couldn't be at the vote entered statements into the record that they would have voted "yes" had they been present, bringing the total to 54 senators who spoke up for the need to advance serious legislation on global warming. Supporters included 10 senators who had not supported global warming legislation in prior votes (2003 and 2005). The cloture vote failed 48-36 (Senate roll call vote 145). YES IS THE PRO-ENVIRONMENT VOTE