Obama for president

This summer, Environment Rhode Island endorsed Sen. Barack Obama for president.

Sen. John McCain deserves credit for bucking his party in the past on such environmental issues as global warming. However, Sen. Obama’s clean energy plan is superior, offering more hope that America can meet the challenge of global warming, build a new economy based on renewable energy, and break our addiction to oil.

Sen. Obama has also proven to be a more consistent champion of the environment and our health on such issues as toxic pollution, clean air and water, and the preservation of our natural treasures.

To learn more about our endorsement, our election program, and the candidates’ records and positions, visit www.EnvironmentRhodeIsland.org/election-2008.

U.S. Senate Republicans block global warming bill

On June 6, the Senate fell short of the 60 votes necessary to move forward on the Boxer-Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act. The 48-36 vote ended consideration of the global warming bill before it was able to come to a vote.

Environment Rhode Island had been working over the past year with Environment America, our national federation, to strengthen key provisions in the bill. In the end, what could have been a solid first step toward a comprehensive global warming bill, failed to overcome opposition from powerful polluting industries.

The Senate Republican leadership, backed by their special interest allies and a presidential veto threat, used time-consuming procedural maneuvers to obstruct consideration of the bill, including forcing Senate clerks to read aloud every word of the 492-page bill.  After the vote, federal Global Warming Program Director Emily Figdor told the media, “Faced with an urgent problem that demands action, the Senate passed the buck. Next time around, the polluters and their allies in Congress won’t get off so easy.”

We will be working with Environment America to turn out enough votes across the country to make the difference in the 2008 election.