As you know, our nation is faced with a growing global demand for energy, a heavy reliance on fossil fuels, high energy prices, and environmental concerns regarding energy use.  Washington state families are struggling with energy costs in these tough economic times, and we all want a more diversified national energy policy that increases our national security by cutting our demand for foreign oil.

The Pacific Northwest has much to lose from climate change, including increasingly severe storms and rising sea levels.  Climate change will negatively impact forests, coastal and salmon habitats, and economically important farmland.  These resources define Washington state’s quality of life and help sustain the region’s economic competitiveness.  I believe American innovation will lead to real solutions to these issues, and will be an economic engine that creates millions of clean technology jobs.  Congress must adopt a comprehensive policy that promotes research and development to keep America at the cutting edge of the clean technology economy.

As you may know, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act, on June 26, 2009.  There are several energy and climate change proposals under consideration by the Senate.  Senator Bingaman (D-NM) has an energy only bill.  Senator Cantwell (D-WA) introduced a “cap and dividend” bill.  Most recently, Senators Kerry (D-MA) and Lieberman (I-CT) have unveiled a draft comprehensive climate and energy proposal that prices carbon.  I am working with my colleagues to continue to push for a comprehensive climate change and clean energy bill.

Throughout my tenure in the United States Senate, I have supported energy and climate policies that benefit consumers, encourage diversification of our nation’s energy sources and protect our fragile environment. As a member of both the Senate Budget and Appropriation Committees, I have fought for increased funding for important alternative energy research and development programs in Washington State and across the nation. In order to encourage private sector development of new forms of energy technology, I have consistently supported higher fuel economy standards for vehicles and federal tax incentives to help spur investment in wind, solar, biomass, and other renewable energy sources. I believe it is vital that Congress works to increase energy independence without sacrificing environmental protections or hurting the economy or consumers.

Energy use and climate change are two of the most critical issues facing our nation. Please be assured I will keep your views in mind as related legislation comes before the Senate for consideration. If you would like to know more about my work in the Senate, please feel free to sign up for my updates at http://murray.senate.gov/updates. Thank you again for writing, and please keep in touch.

I hope all is well in Seattle.
Sincerely,

Patty Murray
United States Senator

.Japan, Norway and Iceland have killed thousands of whales and want to kill thousands more – and now our government is supporting them!

STOP THE LIES, STOP THE SLAUGHTER PLEASE DONATE TODAY

Last night I arrived in Morocco where the International Whaling Commission will shortly face a major decision to approve the slaughter of thousands of more whales.

Please support the whales and ensure that the decision is NO by making your most generous gift today.

I’m here to apply unrelenting pressure on our U.S. government delegation – to ensure that they know that Americans do not support a return to the commercial slaughter of these amazing and majestic creatures. We are making it clear that it will be a serious mistake for the President and his administration to continue to ignore public opinion on the fate of the whales.

Just two weeks ago I joined activists outside the White House where we personally delivered over 1,000,000 messages of protest to the President. We cannot compromise with countries who have abused the ban – if they’re cheating the system now, I shudder to think what they’ll do when their killing is legitimized.

Please donate today. If we’re successful in stopping this attempt to undo decades of our work, we will still need to challenge rogue countries like Japan from carrying on their illegal hunts.

For the whales, Phil Kline Whales Campaign Director

Send to 5 people you know …
Tonight, in his very first speech from the Oval Office, President Obama addressed the nation on the BP oil spill and the crisis in the Gulf Coast.

Millions of Americans heard him lay out the path forward: Tens of thousands will continue to work around the clock to stop the oil spill and prevent further damage. The Obama administration will ensure that BP is held accountable, covering the costs of the clean-up and paying its debts to the people whose lives have been upended by the disaster.

The Gulf Coast will be repaired and restored for the people who call it home and whose livelihoods depend on it.

But, as the President said tonight, this is just the beginning — we need to ensure that a disaster like this never happens again.

The President presented a vision of a future where we as a nation are not held hostage by our dependence on fossil fuels — and a plan for an economy that invests in energy generated right here and creates jobs for millions of Americans in the process. Under his leadership, some of this is beginning to take shape — clean energy is starting to put people back to work across the country, building more efficient cars and trucks, repurposing old factories to manufacture wind turbines, and investing in research that will discover new energy technologies.

Critics will say that a real transition to clean energy is a challenge that can’t be met. But the President made it clear tonight that he will not back down — even if the path forward is not easy. And, as this movement has shown time and again, neither will we.

You are one of hundreds of thousands who have already stood with President Obama for a clean-energy future. Washington has put this off for far too long — America must act. We need your help today to show strong support for the President’s vision for a clean-energy future. Please pass on this email to five friends today — and ask them to join you in standing with the President:

http://my.barackobama.com/CleanEnergyFuture

Thank you,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America