DC Hill update: Waxman/Markey bill ready for markup--5/5

In their second week back from recess, Congress remains focused on clean energy legislation. This week has been characterized by closed door discussions in Washington, D.C., and a steady stream of grassroots pressure back home.

Energy and Commerce Committee Markup

The ACES draft has 3 more weeks to undergo 2 markups: subcommittee next week and Committee markup the following two weeks. Subcommittee markup will be next week - probably late in the week. This week was left open, so that Chairmen Waxman and Markey could hear concerns from swing members. Meanwhile, Waxman and Rep. Chris Van Hollen (MD08) have been exchanging views about the bill.

Generally speaking, the Energy and Environment Subcommittee has 12 swing votes. We need 8 out of 12 to vote with us in order to refer the bill to full committee. Top negotiators amongst the moderates include Reps. John Dingell (MI), Rick Boucher (VA), and Mike Doyle (PA). These members are most familiar with the provisions at stake in a climate bill, and getting their support will mean a lot amongst other swing votes, including Democratic Reps. G. K. Butterfield (NC), Baron Hill (IN), Charlie Melancon (LA), Gene Green (TX), Charlie Gonzalez (TX), Mike Ross (AR), Jim Matheson (UT), and John Barrow (GA). Mary Bono Mack (R-CA) is the lone Republican falling into the "swing" category on the subcommittee.

If any of these swing votes represent you, please call Congress now--toll free! The broader 1Sky network contains 1Sky organizers in 19 states, hundreds of Climate Precinct Captains, and organizational allies in all of these swing districts. Over the last two weeks our friends in these key districts have generated hundreds of calls to Washington asking their reps to strengthen the ACES draft. Our "flood the zone" strategy continues, with call focus shifted to district offices.

Check out Energy & Environment Daily's most recent assessment of how members of the House and Senate are likely to vote on a climate bill and see where your representatives in Washington stand.

The Opposition

Opposition to the bill is already in full swing: Opponents are airing radio ads in swing districts, and Republicans have been holding mock hearings and sharpening attacks against the bill. Opponents have also been publishing more inaccurate studies on the supposed job loss and high-cost of the plan.

In spite of these efforts, people understand the link between clean energy and jobs. Also, the misinformation being put out to scuttle the bill is being debunked forcefully. Case in point: MIT professor John Reilly has been taking House Minority Leader John Boehner to task for mischaracterized his study on the economic impact of cap-and-trade:

For starters, the figure cited by Republican House leadership is almost ten times higher than the cost estimate provided in the study, Professor Reilly said—and that number wasn't limited to electricity bills, but includes such diffuse impacts as "the higher price of goods that are produced using energy, and impacts on wages and returns on capital."

He ended his letter by basically endorsing the Obama administration's plan to rebate about 80% of the $646 billion in cap-and-trade revenues via tax breaks: "Concern about the cost impacts on middle and low income families needs to be focused on making sure allowance or tax revenue is used to offset cost impacts on these households rather than as an excuse for not proceeding with measures that would help avert dangerous climate change."

It's encouraging that despite all the misinformation and scare mongering, the American people support regulation of greenhouse gases.

Senator Arlen Specter (R D-PA) Switches Parties and Joins the Democrats

Last week's big political news was Senator Arlen Specter's party switch from Republican to Democrat. While this is probably fantastic news for progressives in general, it's not incredibly consequential for climate. Even as a Republican, Specter was more of a swing than some Dems. For example, look at this vote chart.

Obama @ 100 Days

Finally, here are some assessments of Obama's environmental record during his first 100 days in office.