Title: Senate hearing kicks off climate bill

" I'm a change and our dependence on foreign oil are a significant threat to our national security. There's nothing conservative. About remaining indebted to hostile regimes for our energy. Doubters often talk about the cost of taking action. But I have to tell you every analysis shows that the cost of not taking action is more expensive. If we think that it's good for America to send 400 billion dollars a year to other countries. So we can put stuff up in the atmosphere that process even more defects were crazy. We'd be far better off moving more rapidly the creation of that energy here at home. Eleven former admirals and high ranking generals issued a seminal report warning. The climate change is a quote threat multiplier. With the potential to create sustained natural and humanitarian disasters. On a scale far beyond those we see today. And John Warner. Who will testify are former colleague is no greater security advocate for the United States speaks eloquently about this as they have others. General there's Cheney former cent com commander said this is gonna cost us lives. It's gonna cost us the deployment of the American military because of the crises that will sue as a consequence of allowing time you know. This to go on. Addressed. It threatens to bring more famine and drought. Worst pandemic X more natural disasters. More resource scarcity and human displacement on a staggering scale. And the result is we risk fanning the flames have failed status of madam chairman you can see this today in Africa right now others fighting between tribes in the Sudan. Because they have been forced to move because of the lack of water. And it's a certification that is taken place so they move into another area fight for water fight for location. And the result is conflict and and and and the I ended interconnected world that threatens all of us and I think you'll hear this from senator water. Let me quote Anthony Cheney directly he said quote. We will pay the price later in military terms and that will involve human lives there will be a human toll. Fourth issue missed them turn America's leadership. Is significantly on the line here. Brazil. Mexico South Korea the European community Japan Australia. Have all committed to significant emissions reductions. Last month Chinese President Hu Jintao pledged to reduce China's emissions below projected levels. India is working on its own domestic legislation to reduce pollution. It is a myth. That China and India have been sitting on the sidelines. I was just in China let me tell you they've tripled their -- goals and targets they've determined to be the world's leader in electric automobiles. They are now the world's leader in solar production and in a battery battery storage at Saturn. They've moved to put transportation restrictions on their automobiles. More strict than the ones that we have in this country and they put them in place faster. And the fact is that they are coming to the negotiating table -- agreement that they will be a constructive and positive force Copenhagen. Fifth. The economic opportunities that stare us in the face are enormous there are millions of jobs major improvements to every sector of our economy. But I am telling you missed the -- chairman if we hang back you can tell what's happening today. Of the five top thirty companies of the world and solar wind and advanced batteries. Only five are based in the United States of America. We invented solar we invented wind. And we pulled back and we allowed those technologies B -- developed and taken from shell laboratory to shelf by other countries. Germany now has created 280000. New renewable energy jobs. And actually employs more people in its renewable energy sector then in the legendary German auto industry. That's the future. Wind energy alone can bring tremendous benefits -- example the state of North Dakota. I've talked to Byron Dorgan about this the state of north Dakota's ranked by the wind power energy association is number one win potential in the United States of America. It is currently number 24. In terms of its production. Though it's a regular economy has grown by about 2% over the course the last few years its energy. Renewable energy sector has grown by about 19%. That represents. The kind of growth in each of your states if you take a look at the analysis of these studies. In Montana. There's a plan to build a 25 million dollar wind turbine manufacturing plant in Butte. With scientists who are trained at Montana attacked. In Pennsylvania the wind turbine manufacturer recommends. Has invested over a 175 million dollars of put over 1100. Pennsylvanians to work. In Norman Oklahoma. There's a thirty year old a family owned company that has become the third man -- largest manufacturer. Of small wind turbines in the world. With installations in all fifty states and over 100 countries. That business can grow and compete with the Chinese. And that's just a few examples. From what comes from a clean energy sector. I understand there's some concern in the Senate that the process is moving too quickly. I'll put aside my own feelings that. A process that began over twenty years ago is actually moving too quickly. That could happen only by senate standards frankly. But within the constraints of the Senate what's happening here in this committee is just one step. There are five other committees. They're all working the energy committee has done part. The foreign relations committee the agriculture committee at -- By the time this gets to the floor. A comprehensive energy and climate bill will include the inputs from six Senate Committees. And the foundation of all that work. Has to come through this committee for us now disclosed you've been very generous -- at the time here but it is closed so that's why. Why put a target that's mandatory. On the reduction of emissions. Some people argue it would be cleaner to have a carbon tax well. It might be cleaner. But I don't believe. That you would change behavior. -- attacks at the level that you might. Under some miracle be able to pass in the Senate. I doubt that there are enough people here who would vote for a -- of any kind. And therefore. To say you're gonna change behavior you're gonna have -- attacks that high enough. To force companies to be able to reduce emissions because they're gonna say whoops this is too costly we've got to go find a different way to behave we're gonna invest in. The different technologies. So I don't think it's gonna work. Which is why companies that are big companies. Have decided to support. The idea here of -- targeted pollution reduction mandatory reduction. Because it allows them if they've been. Good performers and they've reduced their emissions. They can take the difference between where they're rat and the emissions target. And sell it to another company. That can't yet meet the target or wants to be able to continue its current practices. That's the marketplace folks. That's classic American capitalism. It's classic marketplace capacity there isn't a dime of public dollar in that. There's not one tax dollar in that it's not a government run program. It's a private company. Deciding that it wants to behave this way or that way and on depending which way it decides to behave. It gets an asset that is worth something or it sells the assets it it can buy it. And continue to pollute prepared of time while it transitions to a place where there willing to invest to meet the target. So I would just say to all of my colleagues. Are respected the passion on this committee and happy to answer any questions. I think we have to believe in America's technology ability I do. We saw this in 1990 with a clean air act -- just end on this note. I sat -- that -- negotiated with John Sununu and and President Bush and bill Reilly and we heard the same arguments everybody said it's gonna cost eight billion dollars and you're gonna bankrupt us know make this non competitive and we can't do it. The environment community came in and said no no no that's just those studies that sort of exaggerate things. It's gonna cost four billion dollars and it'll take four years and we can do it. To the credit of George Herbert Walker Bush he decided to do it and guess what. We achieved our goals within about a year after two years at the cost of about a billion and half to two billion dollars why. Because nobody has the ability to predict what happens when you set a target. An American ingenuity ingenious begins to move to create the technologies. And find the solutions to meet that target. I believe that is exactly what is going to happen here if will have the courage to set the goal and lead the world. And if we do that I believe we're going to in 1015 years. Not only see that we met the cot be the challenge of climate change. But we've improved the health and America we've created more jobs which strengthen American security we've met our environment responsibility. And we are more energy independent. Tell me a public policy choice. When you get five benefits for one choice they're very very few of them thank you -- Senator Kerry we so appreciate your. Expanding on rise so important that we act and we thank you very much. --"