Senator McCaskill on Climate Change

Below is a recent letter that I received from Senator Claire McCaskill on climate change legislation. Ms. McCaskill claims below that she will make sure that our dollars are spent wisely. She must be expecting an epiphany because she sure hasn't done that to this point.

Dear Mr. Palmer:

Thank you for contacting me regarding climate change legislation and "green jobs" in the 111th Congress. I appreciate your comments and welcome the opportunity to respond.

I believe global climate change threatens our health, environment, and national security. Congress needs to implement meaningful reform that addresses this issue as soon as possible. Drafting a responsible measure that makes both significant reductions in carbon emissions and maintains a strong U.S. economy will be difficult, but it is a task my colleagues and I are committed to.

Regarding carbon emissions and potential “cap-and-trade” legislation, I agree that something must be done to protect and preserve our environment for future generations. However, as an elected representative for all Missourians, I will always seek to protect my constituents from undue hardship and ensure that the federal government will spend their hard-earned taxpayer dollars wisely. That is why, as we continue the debate on climate change legislation, I will be working hard to include safeguards that minimize costs, keep government accountable and prevent harm to the U.S. economy.

Working families will be significantly affected by climate change legislation, so any bill addressing this issue should provide financial protection to avoid passing all costs on to consumers. There must be a cushion to offset rising energy costs and provisions that protect American jobs from international competitors that do not face the same environmental constraints. Strong climate change legislation must also spread the burden of rising energy costs evenly throughout the country, rather than disproportionately affecting one region over another. Additionally, the green jobs created by such legislation must be ones that are available to the already skilled workers of Missouri.

My colleagues and I have already taken a good first step on the way to curbing carbon emissions by passing comprehensive energy legislation into law in December 2007. This bill is expected to remove 500 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from the air through improved energy efficiency standards. However, we need to do more. Further investment in clean energy sources along with responsible climate change legislation will drastically reduce carbon emissions and start our country down a cleaner, economically stronger path, including the path to green jobs for Missouri residents.

My colleagues and I will continue to pursue legislation that will achieve real emissions reductions and still protect our nation's economy and Missouri jobs.

Thank you again for contacting me about this very important issue and please do not hesitate to let me know if I can address any other issues that might be important to you.

All best,
Senator Claire McCaskill

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