United state^ Senate
WASHINGTON, DC 20510
December 10,2009
President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
Over the past month, we have been working together to develop consensus on a comprehensive
pollution reduction and energy independence plan. Support is building to simultaneously create
jobs, protect our national security interests and improve our environment. As you depart for
Copenhagen, we wanted to provide an assessment of where we see the debate heading in the
United States Senate.
From the longest serving member in the history of Congress, Senator Robert Byrd, to James
Murdoch, a senior officer of News Corporation, to General Anthony Zinni, former U.S.
CENTCOM Commander, Americans are uniting to say that now is the time to address climate
change and secure our energy independence. We are heeding these voices and intend to combine
the very best ideas from the public and private sectors and from across the ideological spectrum
to achieve the structurally simplest, most economically responsible and environmentally
effective result possible.
Our discussions have led us to develop a basic framework for climate action, which is attached
for your consideration. We look forward to working with you in the coming months to enact
comprehensive pollution reduction and energy independence legislation.
Sincerely,
John Kerry
Joseph I. Lieberman
United States Senator
United States Senator
Framework for Climate Action and Energv Independence in the U.S. Senate
Carbon pollution is altering the earth's climate. The impacts have already been seen and felt
throughout our country and around the world. Monday's endangerment finding by the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) underscores the importance of Congressional action to
address greenhouse gas emissions before the EPA moves unilaterally.
This document outlines the principles and guidelines that will shape our ongoing efforts to
develop comprehensive climate change and energy