ACES Passes House, Heads to the Senate!

The House of Representatives passed the most historic piece of environmental legislation its taken up in the past 20 years on Friday June 26, 2009.

The Democratic majority held firm as the American Clean Energy and Security (ACES) Act garnered 219 votes. Thirty-one of those votes came from LivPAC-endorsed candidates, including a couple, such as Rep. Rush Holt, (D-N.J.) that The Politico referred to as "a key fence-sitter."

The American Clean Energy and Security (ACES) Act will significantly reduce the country's greenhouse gas output by imposing a "cap and trade" pollution policy that limits how much carbon polluters can emit.

The bill has been controversial in several congressional districts across the country that rely either on coal-powered plants or coal mining to sustain their economy. Thanks to the work Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) did through LivPAC to help Democrats in conservative districts talk about environmental values, several members of Congress, including Reps. Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.), Betsey Markey (D-Colo.), Bruce Braley (D-Iowa), and Steve Driehaus (D-Ohio) were able to take a critical stand for tougher environmental regulation of greenhouse gases.

The bill now goes onto the Senate where LivPAC Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Kirsten Gillebrand (D-N.Y.), Mark Udall (D-Colo.), and Tom Udall (D-N.M.) will be responsible for making sure that the body passes legislation that will reduce carbon output and help save the planet.

Posted on July 1, 2009.