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Nebraska's Senator Ben Nelson today introduced an amendment that will help craft a comprehensive energy policy for the U.S.
"While global climate change is an environmental problem, the solutions to address it all revolve around energy. We need a real legislative blueprint for a comprehensive and coherent energy policy to deal with the problems facing us today, tomorrow and in the future; otherwise we will continue with the unacceptable status quo," said Nelson.
The Nelson amendment to the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act (S.3036) would create a non-partisan commission of experts, similar to the 9-11 Commission that would review the relevant information, studies and proposals in order to create a legislative blueprint for comprehensive energy and climate change legislation.
"It's a monumental challenge, but we have succeeded before: the Apollo Project put a man on the moon and the Manhattan Project developed the atomic bomb. I believe we can succeed again if we take this important first step towards finally getting a much needed comprehensive energy policy for the United States that will also help us address global climate change," said Nelson.
The following is a brief summary of the legislation creating the Commission:
- Establishes in the Legislative Branch the National Commission on Energy Policy and Global Climate Change with the purpose to advise and assist Congress in developing a comprehensive energy policy that ensures national energy security and addresses greenhouse gas emissions to combat global climate change without damaging the national economy.
- The Chairman of the Commission will be jointly appointed by the Senate Majority Leader and the Speaker of the House with the Vice Chairman appointed jointly by the Senate and House minority leaders.
- The remaining 10 Members of the Commission will be jointly appointed by the Chair and Ranking Members of the relevant Committees of the Senate and House (e.g. Energy, Environment, Agriculture, Commerce and Finance).
- Congressional Committees are to make appointments within 90 days of passage and the Commission will provide an interim report to Congress and the President by June 1, 2009 and a final report within 18 months of its appointment.
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