Press Conference on Global Warming with Senate Democrats

Interview

PRESS CONFERENCE ON GLOBAL WARMING WITH SENATE DEMOCRATS

PARTICIPANTS: SENATOR BARBARA BOXER (D-CA); SENATOR THOMAS CARPER (D-DE); SENATOR BENJAMIN CARDIN (D-MD); SENATOR AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-MN); SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT)

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SEN. BOXER: Thank you very much for being here.

On Tuesday, President-elect Barack Obama made an extraordinary statement to the Governors' Global Climate Summit taking place in Los Angeles. And these wonderful members of the Environment and Public Works Committee and I are here today to respond to the challenge that he really laid out for us and for America.

Here is what he said -- and I need the chart. So, we're going to give you what he said, because it's very historic. He said, "Few challenges facing America and the world are more urgent than combating climate change. The science is beyond dispute and the facts are clear. Sea levels are rising. Coastlines are shrinking. We've seen record drought spreading famine and storms that are growing stronger with each passing hurricane season."

He also said, "My presidency will mark a new chapter in America's leadership on climate change that will strengthen our security and create millions of new jobs in the process."

And again, he went on to say, "Climate change and our dependence on foreign oil, if left unaddressed, will continue to weaken our economy and threaten our national security."

President-elect Obama's clear, unequivocal commitment to stepping up to the challenge of global warming was music to my ears and, I can say, to my colleagues standing behind me.

I believe strongly, and we do, that when we address the threat of unchecked global warming by investing in clean-energy technologies and reducing our dependence on foreign oil, we also have a recipe for economic recovery. The time to start is now, and my colleagues and I are here to step up to President-elect Obama's call to action to address global warming and create millions of green jobs in America.

In our Environment and Public Works Committee -- I want to speak now for the majority -- instead of denial, we will have resolve. Instead of procrastination, we will have action. Instead of listening to the voices of the stagnant status quo, our committee hears our president-elect -- the majority of our committee hears our president- elect, and hears voices like Thomas Friedman, who wrote in his most recent book, "Hot, Flat and Crowded," that how we respond to the global-warming challenge will be, quote, "the defining measure of a country's economic standing, environmental health, energy security and national security over the next 50 years," unquote.

So today, with my colleagues behind me and others who are with me but couldn't physically be here today, I'm announcing the first steps that I'll be taking in connection with President-elect Obama's historic challenge to address global warming and job creation.

The first thing we all think about today is job creation and fighting this recession and not seeing it get into a deeper, deeper recession or to a depression. So everything we do is going to be through that lens, so two pieces of legislation I will be introducing in January.

The first bill will establish a grant program to reduce global warming emissions, under the Clean Air Act, with up to $15 billion a year available to spur innovations, in clean energy, including advanced biofuels.

This will be an economic stimulus that follows President-elect Obama's recommendations. This is his number. This is what he wants to do. And this is what he called for, in this same speech that I am quoting from.

Clean energy means green jobs. A new report from the U.S. Conference of Mayors estimates that by 2038, another 4.2 million green jobs could be added to the economy, thanks to the alternative energy and renewable energy industries and the benefits of energy efficiency. That could account for 10 percent of job growth over the next 30 years.

The second piece of legislation will direct the EPA to set up a cap-and-trade system for greenhouse gases that meets the goals laid out by our president-elect.

This bill will reflect the strong partnership we will have with the new administration. And it will focus on achieving the emission reductions needed, while we restore our economy. It will be a streamlined bill which will amend the Clean Air Act.

Next I'm announcing our first hearings in the 111th Congress. The hearing will take place, the first one, as soon as we convene in January, as soon as we can possibly get everybody there. And it will be entitled, How Fighting Global Warming is Good for the Economy and How It Will Create Jobs.

Finally I want to say today, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will be represented next month at the United Nations climate change conference in Poland.

I am sending my top committee staff -- they're with me here today -- who will act as my representatives, in meetings with international leaders, as they prepare for a new global agreement to address greenhouse gas emissions.

In addition and very important, Senator Klobuchar is confirmed to be attending. And we're hopeful other colleagues here may well go. And we know that Senator Carper is also sending his staff.

So we will have terrific representation at that, in Poland. And President-elect Obama has asked that he be briefed from our team. And we will see that that is done.

So here we are.

In 2009, there will be a conference in Denmark that will complete the global agreements. So we are getting ready for that as well.

So we're very happy to answer any questions you may have, but we wanted to just let you know, you know, this is -- this is the end of the year. Very, very tough times -- we all are struggling with it. And our hearts are heavy because of it, but we're also filled with hope. We have a president who understands that when you face these issues, you are, in fact, stepping into this century and you are, in fact, going to do something good for the economy.

And I guess we have one final chart to share with you, which I think sums up the call to action from our president-elect. He says, "Now is the time to confront this challenge once and for all. Delay is no longer an option. Denial is no longer an acceptable response. The stakes are too high, the consequences too serious." And I think that's a very clear call to action. We take it very seriously. We are excited about it. And we wanted to let you know that we're ready to get to work.

Yes, sir.

Q (Name and affiliation inaudible.) How does -- how does Senator Lieberman leaving the committee change the calculus on the committee's balance? And furthermore, who would you like to see replace him in his seat?

SEN. BOXER: Oh, boy. Senator Lieberman is a strong proponent, as you know, of a cap-and-trade system. And we have discussed this. He will continue to work on that. But I have to say, I have an unbelievable, fantastic committee. I --

SEN. CARDIN: We agree with you. (Laughter.)

SEN. BOXER: Yes. And I don't just say that because they're standing here. I mean it sincerely. And the people who are looking at joining our committee -- I can't announce who they are, because I don't know if it'll all work out and I couldn't do that. I don't even know what the ratios will be.

But I want you to know that I have discussed with Senator Carper how much I'm looking forward to him stepping up to Senator Lieberman's place on the committee, because he will move up and be -- after Max Baucus, who has a very heavy portfolio -- you know, my right arm. And these will all be my right arm, as well.

So there's a lot of uncertainty as to who will come. We don't know if Senator Clinton is going to stay in the United States Senate or be the secretary of State or be in the Cabinet. We don't know. So I can't tell you who will replace Senator Lieberman, but I will say this: Whoever it is, because we now have such a strong bench and so many people who understand that when we get to energy independence and fight global warming we create jobs, I don't think it's going to be a problem. And Senator Lieberman has graciously said that he's going to continue to work on this issue. And he will be an important ally.

Yes, sir, in the back.

Q Over on the House side, Congressman Waxman got a new chairmanship today, and I just wanted you to comment on that. And what does that mean for your committee working with the House?

SEN. BOXER: Yeah. Well, I have to say that Congressman Waxman and I are very, very, very strong allies. And we were before he took the chairmanship, and we will, of course, continue that relationship.

I think Congressman Waxman will be a great chairman. I know that Congressman Dingell will continue to contribute his power, as well. But for me, as a Californian, I've watched Henry over the years. I could not, frankly, have a better partner as we head into these days.

And I think it just signals the change, the sea change, that we're facing. And it's a good sea change; it's momentous. The problems are momentous, as well.

Does anyone want to take any of these questions?

Just tell me, and I'll share the mike.

Yes.

Q Chris Holly with The Energy Daily.

Moving from the momentous to the mundane, are you going to have 100 percent -- (off mike) -- in your bill, as the president-elect wants?

SEN. BOXER: Oh, I'm not answering about the details of the bill. We are going to sit down. We have -- we know the general way we're going to approach the bill.

It's going to be greatly streamlined. It is going to be very clear and much simpler than the last bill, for many reasons, I think. And we all are going to be writing it. And we will, when we get the principles done, we will let you know. But we haven't gotten to the detail yet.

(Cross talk.)

Q Can you speak specifically about California's emissions law?

SEN. BOXER: Yes.

Q And what happens -- (off mike) -- with the new EPA? Are you still going to try to use congressional action?

SEN. BOXER: Of course.

California has been a leader among the states. But there are many other states that have stepped up to the plate, for example, on the waiver, where many states, including a lot of my colleagues' states here, 19 other states are with California.

They want to do more. So it has always been my feeling that we need to work cooperatively with the states and not hamstring the states. But I will say this to you.

President-elect Obama's views on global warming and -- (name inaudible) -- make sure that I'm right on this. President-elect Obama's views that he has articulated are pretty much identical with the California law. The goals are the same. And also some of the details are the same.

Yes.

SEN. CARPER: I just have a quick comment.

One of the reasons why states -- California, Delaware, most of the states, I think, that are represented here -- have banded together, on clean air issues, is because of the lack of leadership from the federal level.

That's about to change. Those of us who care about these issues have a strong majority, in the House and the Senate.

We have a president and vice president who care about these issues and, as we can see from his own comments earlier this week, are strongly committed to moving forward, and soon.

SEN. BOXER: Yes. And remember, these comments -- I'm not sure you're aware of this, that this speech that I culled from for you, that was a videotape by President-elect Obama to the governors. So I really -- we're in a different place now. We're in a changing time. And I just -- I'm not worried about the conflict between what the federal government does and the states. I think it will be cooperative. I think it will work out.

For example, two years ago there was no light that we'd ever get a cap-and-trade system through with President Bush. So the states were just going to go ahead and do their own cap-and-trade system. Well, clearly, now, we have a different situation.

Yes, go ahead. Oh, yes.

SEN. SANDERS: To pick up on Senator Boxer's point, it is impossible to underestimate the sea change that we now see. It's not only that you have a president who understands the severity of the problem, but he is willing to be aggressive in addressing it from a global warming perspective.

And as Senator Boxer said, very importantly, this is an economic issue, as well. If we're going to get out of this recession, if we are going to create millions of new, decent-paying jobs, it's imperative that we move aggressively on energy efficiency and sustainable energy.

And lastly, from a geopolitical point of view, if we do not want to find ourselves in wars in Iraq again, we have got to stop importing $700 billion every year from foreign countries and become energy independent.

So all of these things, I think, are going to be a central aspect of what this Congress is going to address, and I'm delighted to hear what Senator Boxer has to say.

SEN. KLOBUCHAR: And one other thing I would add to that. President-elect Obama has signalled a willingness to work with the rest of the world on climate change, as he has in foreign relations and other matters.

And he's asked the members that go to Poland to come back and brief him on what happened at that climate change conference. And we, in turn, are going to be able to tell world leaders on climate change that we have a new president that's interested and focused on moving forward on climate change.

We have been operating for eight years in a leadership zone, when it comes to global warming. And we are going to be able to tell them that that's about to change.

SEN. BOXER: Thank you.

SEN. CARDIN: Can I -- can I just point out -- I think the question on the California waivers is a great point, because I represent the people of Maryland, and I've been spending a lot of the last two years fighting with this administration on behalf of the health and welfare of the people of Maryland. And the California waiver was part of that effort.

It is so refreshing to have a president that supports the types of policies that are going to be in the best interests of the people of Maryland and our country. It's so exciting to see the president- elect use one of the first opportunities he has to talk about this issue, how important it is.

And I want to thank Chairman Boxer for taking the leadership in the Senate. And we're going to have a Congress that's going to work with this president to pass legislation to accomplish energy independence, to accomplish our leadership internationally on one of the key environmental issues of our time.

And as Senator Sanders has said so well, so often, this is an economic issue for this country. We're in a horrible economic position today. And the legislation that Chairman Boxer is talking about will create more jobs here in America, good jobs here in America. And we need that desperately. So this is a win-win situation, and it's nice to know that we're going to be working with an administration to get it done, rather than trying to block a lot of the bad things that this administration tried to do.

SEN. BOXER: Yes, sir?

Q Not to detract from a global warming discussion, but could you and the other members up there talk about your other legislation --

SEN. BOXER: Yes, of course.

Q -- for EPW?

SEN. BOXER: Well, sure. You know, one of the other first parts of our agenda, dealing with the public works section of our committee -- remember, it's Environment and Public Works -- is writing the new highway bill, and again, jobs, jobs, jobs -- the name of the day. We have to figure out a way, with all of our colleagues, on both sides of the aisle -- this is an area where we are very -- extremely bipartisan -- on this part, public works side. You know, how are we going to sustain the funding? We have to find another sustainable funding source in addition to the gas taxes, which, as we know, are dwindling.

So that's a huge priority. I've already started field hearings in my own state, in my own state. I'm going to ask colleagues to do it in their states.

So when we come back, we -- we're going to be working very diligently and holding early hearings and working with the House. We have already settled on the "big four" in the committee, and -- which is Inhofe, Isakson, Boxer and Baucus -- on about five or six principles, which I don't want to go into now -- it's a different thrust -- but we'll share it with you -- on where we have agreement, on how we're going to move forward. And we think that this Environment and Public Works Committee really, in many ways, if we do our work right, could spur this economy, literally help get it out of the funk that it's in, because we think the -- all of our work is so related to job creation, whether it's the public works side or it is the environment side.

And also, I want to say -- because Senator Carper is such a leader on NOx, Ox, mercury -- just because I haven't mentioned it right up front -- we have work to do on all of those pollutants, all of those air pollutants. And we will be responding and working with the administration.

I wanted to say my staff and I have been meeting on a regular basis with the transition team, and I am very excited. The transition team really knows what they're doing. The EPA itself, the morale there has been driven down to the ground, and they so are looking forward to this new leadership.

So it's going to be a great year. The reason I struck a chord just on the president's challenge to us -- the president-elect's challenge to us is because I wanted to not let this moment go by without noting that we are responding to his challenge.

Yes?

Q Senator Boxer, on the auto loan issue, could I ask you -- there have been concerns in the environmental community about Levin's plan to use that 136 money.

SEN. BOXER: Yes.

Q He's got a new plan now that would change that back. Is that something you could support? And why or why not?

SEN. BOXER: Well, I haven't seen the details of Senator Levin's plan. I have talked with him and I did get his agreement that he would agree that none of the funding could be used to lobby, because we don't want to have funding used to lobby against the waiver. So he's agreed to that.

But in general, I think it would be a disaster to go into the funds that we gave them so that they can retool and finally take the leadership. That's my own view. I don't speak for anybody else. But I haven't seen the details. In other words, it would be wrong to go into a fund that is meant to help the auto industry and suddenly change the strings and -- but I haven't seen the details of the loan, and I will get back to you when I do.

Yeah?

Q Senator, can you identify a few things the new president could do in his first days or week --

SEN. BOXER: Yeah.

Q (Off mike) -- through executive order or otherwise? Is that --

SEN. BOXER: Yeah. Well, he could sign the waiver pretty quick, right? I mean, that would be good, because there's a big lawsuit that has been filed. It would be wonderful to just save all that, sign the waiver. I think the waiver would unleash, I think, the environment in which the auto companies would really have to retool and really move forward because, really, 19 states represent more than half the population. And we -- they'd have the fuel economy standards and so on and so forth.

So I think signing the waiver would be wonderful. But I would ask if you -- if this is -- you want chapter and verse, please talk to my chief counsel and my chief of staff, Bettina Poirier, because we have a list of all the executive orders that they have done. We have a list of all of the changes they have made in the way they allow studies to go forward. We have held many hearings on all these issues. We know about the library over at EPA.

We have transmitted all that information directly to the transition team. And we're even meeting with them to go through it. And all I could tell you is we think there are many things that could be undone and some will take a little longer. But I can give you the chapter and verse later.

Last two questions. Let's see -- how many questions left? Oh, my gosh. Okay, last, one, two, three, four, five. We'll start here.

Q Yeah. Senator -- I'm sorry -- President-elect Obama has indicated there's only one president at a time --

SEN. BOXER: Correct. I'm sorry if I said President Obama.

Q (Off mike) -- President Bush administration will be at the table in Poland talking about -- (off mike).

SEN. BOXER: (Laughs.)

Q How -- what do you think the Bush administration's posture will be, or what should it be?

SEN. BOXER: Okay. Well, I'm going to let Amy take a crack at that, but I'm also going to say my own view.

The people who are going to Poland from around the world understand that we've had an election. They also understand what lame duck means. And without being cruel in any way, because someday I'll be a lame duck, the fact of the matter is, this is a forward-looking conference. This is a conference that's planning for 2009. So regardless of what, you know, Jim Connaughton or anybody else might say there -- if I might just say -- it's really not going to make much difference.

But that's my own feeling on it. Amy, did you want to --

SEN. KLOBUCHAR: First of all, President-elect Obama has made clear that he's not yet the president, that President Bush is still the president, and that they will be representing the United States at that conference.

That being said, I think it's very important that I will be there, and the EPW staff, on behalf of Senator Boxer and other members of Congress, to make clear to other world leaders on climate change that there is a new cop in town; that we are moving forward on climate change and there's going to be a difference with this past eight years of inaction with this administration. As Senator Boxer said, I think they already know that, but having members of Congress there that are devoted to moving forward on climate change is going to send that clear message.

The other piece of this: It will give us an ability to go back and brief Senator Obama and the people involved in the climate-change issue in the incoming administration on what happened at the conference. We all know that this is going to simply be setting the stage for next year for the Copenhagen conference, that this is the beginning. We want to have representatives from our Congress there to say: We're going to be moving forward.

We started last year. It was a good start. But the work is going to be happening in the next year.

SEN. BOXER: Okay, now. Yes?

Q Hi. Back on global warming: Why do you have to use these committees such as Energy and Finance in drafting the -- (off mike)? Do you still see your committee as the primary -- (off mike)?

SEN. BOXER: Well, I think because we are -- the courts have ruled that controlling carbon is mandated under the Clean Air Act, our committee is in charge of the Clean Air Act.

But I do want to say all committees, all committees can play a huge role in reducing carbon. Energy efficiency is a hugely important piece. It's what we all call the low-hanging fruit. It will create jobs. And a lot of that jurisdiction lies in energy. I think there's no question any type of program that is -- involving tax incentives for buying fuel-efficient cars, hopefully American fuel-efficient cars -- that goes to Max Baucus.

So we're all involved in this. There's no argument about it. But the cap-and-trade system will be done through our committees.

SEN. SANDERS: If I can, Barbara, on --

SEN. BOXER: Yes, please.

SEN. SANDERS: Okay. I'm a member of the Energy Committee as well, and we just met yesterday, and I think, as Barbara indicated, there's going to have to be a very close relationship between the two committees.

But what is being discussed now is not only a major effort forward in terms of energy efficiency and creating millions of jobs as we do that, but the potential that we have not yet even begun to tap in terms of solar, in terms of wind, in terms of geothermal, in terms of biomass. A lot of that responsibility is going to come on the Energy Committee, working with the EPW Committee.

So there's a very important role for both committees.

But now is the time, for climate change reasons, for economic and job-creating reasons, that we move aggressively forward.

SEN. BOXER: We will be working together.

I promised those -- you and then I think -- yeah. And then we're done. Yeah.

Q (Off mike.)

SEN. BOXER: Oh. Okay. Gosh. All right.

Q (Off mike) -- bill and why didn't you -- (off mike) -- to begin with?

SEN. BOXER: Well, I think because the bill got pretty cumbersome at the end of the day. We started out with a fairly concise bill, but it just got longer and longer and more detailed, so I think a simpler bill. You'll see when I -- when I bring it out. I can't tell you exactly, but it will be -- it will be more concise, more compact and clearer.

SEN. SANDERS: Like Henry Paulson, three-pager, for a --

SEN. BOXER: No. (Laughter.) It'll actually be half a page. (Laughter.) We want to -- want to beat him.

Q Are you thinking about the same idea, a 15 percent reduction -- (off mike)?

SEN. BOXER: You'll see if when you see it.

SEN. CARPER: Can I say something?

SEN. BOXER: Yeah. It will reflect President-elect Obama's views.

SEN. CARPER: And that's, I think, a very good response.

There were -- there were those who questioned the wisdom of bringing a climate change bill to the floor this past summer. And one of the virtues of bringing the bill to the floor is that it helped inform us, helped inform everybody that this is real, this is coming and how -- to compel us to think through the positions that we have, the arguments that we have. And I think we'll be better prepared to move forward next year.

SEN. BOXER: I'm glad you mentioned that, Tom, because a lot of you were saying, "Why are you doing it? You can't get 60 votes." And we knew that.

But we learned so much. We found out where our colleagues stand, what their live-or-die issue is, you know, what their line in the sand is. And we learned a lot about, you know, mistakes that we perhaps made.

And so I feel so much stronger now, as the leader of this committee, as we go into it.

And I think we all got to know each other. I mean, we were just really -- (chuckles) -- working on a daily basis. And I think getting ready for this next bill will be so much easier, I can't tell you. I'll be able to work in a much smoother way because of that experience.

Now, I promised you, I think.

Q Yes.

SEN. BOXER: And you, and that's it. Yes.

Q I just wanted to ask -- I know you mentioned earlier there was going to be some reorganization of DPW.

SEN. BOXER: Yes.

Q And I wondered if you had any more details on that, and if you planned to tackle a new WRDA.

SEN. BOXER: Tackle a new WRDA? Yes, we will, because, you know, you can't wait seven, eight years to do a WRDA bill. I mean, we used to do it every couple of -- every other year. We want to get back to that because, again, we need to build the infrastructure and we need to create jobs, right here in America. And that's what the public works are. So, yes, you'll see WRDA; you'll see state revolving fund; you'll see movement on everything. We are going to be very busy.

I'm not ready to talk about reorganization, for several reasons. I'm meeting with colleagues one at a time to see what they're interested in. And if there are conflicts there, I have to resolve those.

And also, I don't know how many we're going to have on our committee. We have a recount going on in Minnesota; unclear what's going to happen. We have, you know, the race in Georgia; unclear what's going to happen. So I don't know how many members I'll have. I don't know if I'll have a two-member plurality, a three-, a four-; whether we're going to reduce the committee, as opposed to make it larger. And I don't know if anyone will give up a subcommittee because they have another subcommittee in another committee. See what I'm saying?

So I'm not being -- holding any cards close. I'm just saying I literally don't know. But I'm busy working with all my colleagues to see what they want.

They're going to let me know what their interests are.

And if I can do a good job -- because they are -- I just have to say this, seriously. Bernie made a joke, but -- this is quite a committee. I've been on a lot of committees. I've never seen such collegiality and people really taking the workload. It's very exciting.

And the last question goes to --

Q (Off mike.) Can you talk a little bit about the dynamics on the floor with the climate change bill this time around, given the --

SEN. BOXER: Yes.

Q -- (off mike) -- Democrats that will come on board and the news of Senator Stevens' defeat?

SEN. BOXER: Yeah. Well, I don't think it's -- I'm not going to talk about Senator Sevens, because I don't think, if we look back, that he was that involved in our climate change debate, to be honest with you.

But I do want to say this. We're facing a sea change. First of all, the president. Now, we had -- we have a president now, President Bush, who simply felt the best action was voluntary, really no action. No action. And for all these years, we have wasted time. In everything we tried to do -- everything -- and I don't just mean global warming, I mean a lot of things -- almost everything, even WRDA, which he vetoed -- we had to fight a whole administration and all of that that goes with it.

So the first thing is, and the reason we wanted you to see the call for action here, I mean, look at the difference here. We are being challenged to do this legislation, where before, we were told don't you dare do this legislation. How can I express to you the difference between on the one hand a president who opposes you fiercely, strongly, and wants to beat you on this, and one who is saying, step up to the challenge.

Delay isn't an option. Denial isn't acceptable. The consequences are too serious. The stakes are too high. Number one.

Number two, the amazing election we had here in the United States Senate, where we, you know, are gaining allies in this fight.

So without saying -- and then what happened over in the House with Henry Waxman, who we know really wants to move swiftly on similar legislation to that which I'm hopefully going to put together.

So there you have it. It's a sea change. I believe the atmosphere on the floor will be completely different.

And I have to go back to what Senator Carper said, because he was really smart to bring it. The exercise that we went through was also very important, because, you know, we have a thousand issues to deal with in our states. And this is complex, this type of legislation. But finally, because we had our practice run, people really sat down at the table. Believe me, when we sat down with some senators, they just weren't that aware of, you know, what is an offset; how does it work; you know, what do you mean when you say "1990 levels," and so on and so forth.

So it was a learning experience for all of us, and we're all better for it. So I think we have a more, shall we say, sophisticated, I think, Senate on this issue now. We have a Senate that's motivated to do something.

I'm not saying it'll be easy. I know -- legislating is not easy. There are still regional issues; there are still differences. We'll have to work it out. It -- this bill isn't going to go forward exactly the way we hope, you know. It's going to have its ups, its downs, its good days, its bad days. But it is a sea change.

Thank you very much for being here.

Q (Off mike.)

SEN. BOXER: Yes. Why don't you just come up after, because when I said five, I meant five. But I'm happy to take it one-on-one.

STAFF: Thank you, everybody.

SEN. BOXER: Thank you to my colleagues. I love working with you.

END.

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