U.S. Chamber Testimony Highlights Objections to Current Climate Change Legislation

Kovacs Calls for a Focus on International Solutions to a Global Problem

WASHINGTON, D.C.—In testimony before Congress today, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said that the current framework for proposed climate change legislation is unworkable and would cause significant economic harm by imposing a multitrillion-dollar tax on businesses. Specifically, the Chamber said the proposed legislation would cut America's use of fossil fuels while failing to offer substitute forms of energy, would not be international in scope, and would generate unlimited lawsuits.

"While the Chamber supports lowering greenhouse gas concentrations, this current framework will be the knockout blow to an American workforce that is already staggering," said Bill Kovacs, the Chamber's vice president of Environment, Technology, and Regulatory Affairs, in testimony before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment.

"It is called 'global climate change' for a reason," Kovacs said. "Even if the U.S. were to eliminate all of its greenhouse gas emissions today, the carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere would be relatively unaffected. This is because few other countries are willing to cut their emissions, which are growing at a far greater rate than our own."

"Moreover, the bill's aggressive emissions reduction mandates will limit the amount of energy available to run our economy, while failing to provide any mechanism to ensure that a substitute 'green' energy bill be available to meet the nation's energy needs," he said.

"More frightening, by opening the courthouse doors to lawsuits from citizens 'harmed' by climate change, the current bill merely invigorates the trial bar at the expense of the economy," Kovacs said. The framework defines 'harm' as 'any effect of air pollution currently occurring or at risk of occurring … that is associated with a small incremental emission of any air pollutant.'"

"The Chamber believes there is a better first step than the current framework," he said. "We must focus on an international treaty that sets real, enforceable targets for all nations. And it must allow each nation the flexibility to meet those targets through whichever policy device it chooses."

Kovacs' complete testimony is available at: http://www.uschamber.com/issues/testimony/2009/090424_energy.htm

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.

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