The New York Times reports:
On Sunday, Senate Democrats muscled through a $370 billion bill designed to move the country away from fossil fuels and toward solar, wind and other renewable energy.
If the House passes the legislation later this week as expected, it will be the nation’s first major climate law, coming as scientists warn that nations have only a few remaining years to make deep enough cuts in carbon dioxide to avoid planetary catastrophe.
Once enacted, the new law is projected to help cut the nation’s greenhouse pollution by roughly 40 percent below 2005 levels by the end of this decade. That’s not enough to avert the worst impacts of a warming planet, but it would be a sizable down payment and the largest climate action ever taken by the United States.
Read the full article.
The $369 billion Senate bill passed on Sunday would be the largest climate action ever taken by the U.S. The bill avoided the political pitfalls of past legislative attempts by offering only incentives, not taxes, to cut climate pollution. https://t.co/WuHrcdZtjV
— The New York Times (@nytimes) August 7, 2022
We did it. We passed the biggest climate bill that any country has ever passed. It is the reason I came to the Senate. The fight goes on, but for the first time, the American government is taking action that is equal to this moment.
— Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) August 7, 2022
Not one Republican in the Senate voted for the most consequential bill to address Climate Change and the lowering of Prescription Drug prices in US history. We have President Biden, Leader Schumer, Speaker Pelosi and the Democrats to thank. Never forget that.
— Rob Reiner (@robreiner) August 7, 2022
The Inflation Reduction Act that this Senate Democratic Majority has passed will endure as one of the defining legislative feats of the 21st century:
It reduces inflation, lowers costs, creates millions of good-paying jobs, and is the boldest climate package in U.S. history.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) August 7, 2022
I just spoke to President Biden @POTUS to celebrate this Senate Democratic Majority passing the Inflation Reduction Act to reduce inflation, to lower costs, to create jobs, and to invest boldly in fighting the climate crisis. pic.twitter.com/V4ldYTW5A5
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) August 7, 2022