Senate Climate Change Vote a Return to Reality

Kovacs Statement on "One of the Most Important Votes of the Year"

WASHINGTON, D.C.–- After today's Senate action to end debate on the Lieberman-Warner-Boxer climate change legislation, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Vice President of Environmental Policy Bill Kovacs issued the following statement:

"Without a doubt, this was one of the most important votes of the year for American consumers, workers, and businesses. Anyone opposed to massive tax increases, spikes in gas prices and bloating the size of our government, made the logical decision to vote against this measure.

"Addressing climate change is a top priority of the business community, but it must be done in a realistic way that understands that the foundation for tackling this issue is the development and rapid deployment new energy technologies. Without a focus on technology Congress will only put the U.S. at a competitive disadvantage with the world and this will harm our consumers, workers, and businesses."

"Every Senator who opposed this measure should be commended for bringing common sense back into an overheated debate."

The U.S. Chamber is the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.