Support Whitehouse on Climate Change

Chuck Sheketoff

Rhode Island U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, that is.

Two weeks ago, as the Senate was trying muster enough votes to bring the Lieberman-Warner “Climate Security Act” to a floor vote, Senator Whitehouse authored an amendment capping carbon emissions that would protect low-income Oregonians while fighting global warming.

The Whitehouse amendment offered efficient and effective protection for low-income families, while moving forward the fight against global warming.

Absent adequate protections such as those proposed by the Whitehouse amendment, carbon emissions controls could increase the hardships faced by low-income families. They typically lack the means to invest in energy conservation measures and energy efficient and cleaner technologies. And higher gasoline, food and other costs under a carbon cap take a bigger bite out of their incomes compared to higher-income consumers.

Although Lieberman-Warner provided some protection for low-income families, it did not go far enough and did not target or distribute the aid as effectively as the Whitehouse amendment.

Contrary to the claims of some opponents of capping carbon emissions, the Climate Security Act does not necessarily have to hurt low-income families. An effectively designed measure, such as that proposed by Senator Whitehouse, can fully protect low-income families from additional hardship.

Oregonians should not be fooled by the energy industry-backed astro-turf advocates for the poor who will fight climate change controls in the name of protecting low-income households. Instead, when people talk about federal climate change proposals, Oregonians should say they want action to stop the global warming and that they support the Whitehouse amendment – Senator Sheldon Whitehouse’s amendment, that is.

See my letter to Senators Gordon Smith and Ron Wyden here (PDF) explaining the amendment and calling on both of them to get on board.

Discuss.

By Chuck Sheketoff June 16, 2008