June 9, 2008

Ted Stevens Skips Key Vote on Climate Change

Missed Vote Helps Stall Critical Legislation

As the U.S. Senate prepared to take up bipartisan climate change legislation, Senator Ted Stevens today skipped the key vote to debate the bill. The Climate Security Act, authored by Senators Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and John Warner (R-VA), would help the country transition to a more efficient and competitive economy by spurring innovation in renewable energy and energy efficiency technology.

The bill also includes $50 billion to help Alaska confront and adapt to the impacts of climate change and would have improved the market for natural gas and the gas line.

"Alaska is ground zero for climate change. The do-nothing policy of the Senate is costing Alaska families billions of dollars," said U.S. Senate candidate Mark Begich. "Alaskans deserve reliable representation in Washington, especially on critical bills like this that will help secure a better future for our state."

Senate leadership did not keep open the option of reconsidering the vote, so the bill is unlikely to come up again this year.

From a Mark Begich press release: