Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) coauthored an op-ed with Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) in today’s New York Times calling for bipartisan action in the Senate on a climate change bill.
We are confident that a legitimate bipartisan effort can put America back in the lead again and can empower our negotiators to sit down at the table in Copenhagen in December and insist that the rest of the world join us in producing a new international agreement on global warming. That way, we will pass on to future generations a strong economy, a clean environment and an energy-independent nation.
If Graham really does join with the Democrats, it would seemingly increase the chances of climate change legislation passing the Senate — where 60 votes might very well be needed to pass a bill.
Sens. Graham and Kerry wrote that it’s “true that we come from different parts of the country and represent different constituencies and that we supported different presidential candidates in 2008.”
“We even have different accents. But we speak with one voice in saying that the best way to make America stronger is to work together to address an urgent crisis facing the world.”
So what common ground do these two senators have on climate change? They wrote that “we agree that climate change is real and threatens our economy and national security.” They advocate taking “advantage of nuclear power” through deregulation and encouraging investment to find solutions to dealing with nuclear waste. They want to break “our dependence on foreign oil” and push the U.S. “to become the Saudi Arabia of clean coal” by providing “new financial incentives for companies that develop carbon capture and sequestration technology.”
They also want to continue “seeking compromise on additional onshore and offshore oil and gas exploration” and “consider a border tax on items produced in countries” that don’t meet our environmental standards.
It’ll be interesting to see to what extent Graham really does team with the Democrats on a climate change bill — and whether he brings any other GOPers to the table with him. If he does, there really may be, as the senators wrote, “a road to 60 votes in the Senate.”
Read the full op-ed here.
