Jeff Bingaman: “I seek recognition today to engage in a colloquy with a number of colleagues who have been true leaders on one of the…”

“I seek recognition today to engage in a colloquy with a number of colleagues who have been true leaders on one of the most challenging issues facing the world today climate change. As I stated on the floor several weeks ago, the time for action is now. According to the latest scientific findings of our world's leading experts--the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change--the confidence that humans are altering earth's climate has reached 90 percent certainty. It is with this sense of urgency that I recently introduced, along with Senator Specter, the Low Carbon Economy Act of 2007. S. 1766-- which is also supported by Senators Akaka, Murkowski, Casey, Stevens, and Harkin--is the product of over 2 years of deliberation and analysis and enjoys the support of many in industry, labor and conservation. Senator Specter and I are convinced--and I believe my good colleagues from Connecticut and Virginia would agree--that legislation can only attract the bipartisan support needed to put the United States on a path to a low carbon economy if it contains the following: No. 1. mandatory limits on U.S. greenhouse gas emissions; No. 2, an economy- wide approach that meets the economic test of ``no significant harm''; No. 3. increased incentives to accelerate the development and deployment of low and zero emission technologies; No. 4. measures that strongly encourage our major trading partners to begin reducing emissions and that balance U.S.…”