Newswise — President Obama delivered his first State of the Union address to Congress tonight and called on Congress to enact comprehensive energy and climate legislation.
Jeremy Symons, senior vice president of the National Wildlife Federation, said tonight:
"Last year, the president showed the leadership and determination to help the House pass the energy reform legislation that is overdue for America. His call for action tonight was clear. He is ready to help the Senate take on Big Oil and move a bipartisan clean energy and climate bill that creates jobs, limits pollution from energy companies, and reduces our dependency on oil from hostile nations.
“As the president said, America’s challenges are profound. By embracing clean energy, America can address several of these challenges at once by improving our energy independence, creating jobs and passing on a better future for our children.
“A bipartisan leadership team is ready to go in the Senate, led by Democrat John Kerry, Republican Lindsey Graham, and Independent Joe Lieberman. Majority Leader Harry Reid has made clear that he wants the Senate to act on an effective, bipartisan bill this year.
“Big Oil and their allies are spending millions of dollars to block progress. They are standing in the way of clean energy jobs, energy security, and clean air. The Senate must deliver this year, and senators will need the president's help to overcome the obstruction that has stalled past efforts at real energy reform.
“The president also deserves praise for his commitment to education in the coming year, and National Wildlife Federation is ready to help make environmental education a priority. We need strong environmental education and job training today to prepare America’s workforce for a clean energy economy.”
The National Wildlife Federation is America's largest conservation organization inspiring Americans to protect wildlife for our children's future.
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