On the recordJune 10, 2010
Today, in the midst of the biggest oil spill in our Nation's history, we are debating a joint resolution, supported by the oil industry, among others, that effectively says that the Senate, with its extensive expertise, believes the Environmental Protection Agency was wrong to conclude that greenhouse gases are pollutants despite the preponderance of the evidence, scientific evidence, that shows this to be an accurate and correct assessment. The fact is, the best science tells us that climate change is real and that greenhouse gas emissions contribute significantly to it. It is also true that our continuing reliance on fossil fuel undermines not only our environmental quality but our national and economic security. We have seen the environmental effects played out dramatically and catastrophically in the Gulf of Mexico with the BP disaster. But if we do nothing, we will continue to see our economy held hostage by our need for fossil fuels and the billions of dollars a year we send overseas to buy oil. This resolution is more than just our opinion; it would effectively and permanently block the EPA from taking concrete steps today to deal with this problem.
