As the U.S. Senate considers historic energy legislation, we’re building support in Missouri to ensure it passes—and that the end product is as strong as possible.
 
The House of Representatives’ approval of the American Clean Energy and Security Act this summer marked a clear break from the inaction that characterized the federal government’s response to global warming during the past eight years.

If the Senate follows suit this fall, we’ll see billions of dollars invested in energy efficiency and renewable power, new green buildings sprouting up across America, and significant, mandatory reductions in carbon pollution.

Still, in order to win enough votes for passage, the bill’s sponsors agreed to compromises that benefit oil and coal companies, agribusiness and other interests at the expense of taxpayers and the environment. But given the closing window of opportunity to get started solving global warming and the potential for this bill to transform our energy systems, we decided to support, and work extremely hard for, passage of the bill.

Building support for change

Despite the concessions, the vote in the House was close, with just a seven-vote margin support of the legislation (four members of Missouri’s delegation voted in favor of the bill).
We educated citizens and lawmakers on the consequences of inaction or further delay.  For example, our research demonstrated that lower crop yields resulting from climate change could cost corn growers in Missouri $46 million a year, and nationally the toll would be roughly $1.4 billion because of lower corn yields.