American Clean Energy and Security Act Passes

June 26, 2009

The American Clean Energy and Security Act has been passed by the United States House of Representatives, the first step to signing the legislation into law. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi called the legisation

"historic ... a monumental step to get America running on clean energy, create millions of new jobs, strengthen our security, and reduce pollution in the air."

The legislation, also known as the Markey-Waxman Clean Energy Bill, was written by Representative Henry Waxman of California, Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and Ed Markey, Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued a statement praising the bill as an ambitious effort to cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020,

"Fighting climate change is the number one environmental challenge facing this generation, and the only way to realize real reductions in our nation's greenhouse gas emissions is through a firm cap. California has led the nation and the world in developing market-oriented programs to achieve our environmental goals while boosting jobs and protecting consumers, and our efforts have laid the groundwork for a national climate change program like the one voted on today.

"Although this bill is not perfect, it is a significant step in the national fight against climate change and it puts the United States in a position of leadership in international climate negotiations that must produce a global solution to this global problem. My Administration will work with the Senate and President Obama to improve and strengthen this legislation so that it achieves its goals while boosting economic growth and I commend the House of Representatives for taking this historic step today."

In September 2006, the Governor signed the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, California's breaktrough legislation aimed at reducing carbon emissions in the state to 1990 levels by the year 2020.

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