RE: Republicans stall climate change bill to punish Reid [i.e., Sound and Fury, Signifying Nothing, Obstructs Senate Debate on Global Warming]

You aptly state: "The public cannot be pleased. Polls show Americans are overwhelmingly concerned about climate change"

Today’s statement on yesterday’s debate in the U.S. Senate on the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act of 2007 is from Trip Van Noppen, President of Earthjustice:

“Yesterday, Senate opponents derailed Floor debate on bi-partisan climate change legislation. Beyond forcing an eight-hour reading of the bill, they attempted to mask their cynical strategy of filibustering on behalf of the coal and oil industry by fabricating false claims that a deal to confirm three judges had been broken.

“In fact, after one judge was confirmed, scheduled votes on two 6th Circuit nominees were delayed by Republican Senators. Before this dispute erupted, the votes had already been re-scheduled for June 12th.

“Senators should reject this unjustifiable effort to obstruct the most serious debate Congress has ever had on global warming -- the greatest challenge the United States and the world have ever faced.”

For more information please visit www.earthjustice.org and www.judgingtheenvironment.org

Both 6th Circuit seats (and one just filled) are "judicial emergencies" unlike two of the three Sen. McConnell is pushing.

President Bush has failed to nominate anyone to 16 vacancies, including several that have been declared judicial emergencies. The Senate approved more than 300 Bush lifetime judges, but cannot confirm lifetime judges who have not been nominated.

-Glenn Sugameli
Senior Legislative Counsel
Earthjustice
Washington, DC