Honorable Max Baucus
Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance
219 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-6200

April 22, 2010

Dear Chairman Baucus,
We are writing to recommend that the Finance Committee hold a hearing on S 2877, the Carbon Limits and Energy for America’s Renewal Act (CLEAR Act) which has been referred exclusively to the Finance Committee. This bipartisan bill was introduced last December by Senator Maria Cantwell, a member of the Finance Committee, and Senator Susan Collins.

Climate change is the most important environmental problem of our generation and the need for the adoption of a sound climate change policy is pressing. The Finance Committee has an important role to play in climate change legislation, as evidenced by a number of hearings it has already held on this subject over the last several years. Given that this legislation was referred exclusively to the Finance Committee, it would be appropriate and we believe helpful if the committee were to hold a hearing on this thoughtfully developed climate change bill. A hearing in the Finance Committee would allow for an important debate about the innovations contained in the CLEAR Act, as well as afford the Committee the opportunity to explore ways to improve the bill.

We believe that key elements of the Cantwell-Collins CLEAR Act could become part of the basis upon which a bipartisan agreement on a domestic climate change policy could be achieved without further delay.

Sincerely,

Clean Air-Cool Planet
Friends Committee on National Legislation
Southern Alliance for Clean Energy

cc: Honorable Chuck Grassley