Brown Statement on Climate Change Bill Introduced in Senate

Press Release

Brown Says Bill Must Protect Consumers and Promote American Manufacturing

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) issued the following statement in response to the introduction of climate change legislation in the U.S. Senate:

"For a clean energy bill to be successful, it must also be a jobs bill. Done right, efforts to reduce carbon emissions can revitalize our nation's manufacturing base to create new clean energy jobs. But that means a bill that invests in the economic competiveness of domestic manufacturing and prevents jobs from moving to countries with weaker environmental standards.

"Since the climate change debate last year, I've been working with my colleagues that represent the Midwest and other industrial states. We want to pass legislation, but it's got to be done right.

"A clean energy bill must provide support to the regions, industries, and consumers that would be most affected by climate change legislation. The bill introduced by Sens. Boxer and Kerry highlights the need to take climate change seriously; I appreciate their hard work on this measure. But we must work to strengthen the legislation to improve the competitiveness of American manufacturers, invest in new clean energy technologies, and target more relief to consumers in coal states. We must also address the issue of carbon leakage -- if manufacturing is shifted to higher-polluting countries, this would undermine efforts to improve both the economy and environment.

"If we're going to pass a clean energy bill that is also a major jobs bill, we need to help manufacturers retool for the clean energy economy. I've introduced the Investments for Manufacturing Progress and Clean Technology (IMPACT) Act of 2009, legislation that would help transform former auto suppliers and other small and mid-sized manufacturers to begin to produce clean energy technologies. This legislation, which is estimated to create more that 680,000 direct manufacturing jobs and nearly 2 million indirect jobs over five years, must be a component of climate change legislation."

Last week, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) added their support to Brown's IMPACT Act, which was included in the House-passed change legislation. The IMPACT Act, which was included in the House-passed clean energy bill, would establish a $30 billion Manufacturing Revolving Loan Fund. States would receive funds for the establishment of revolving loan programs to assist small and medium-sized firms in retooling, expanding or establishing domestic clean energy manufacturing operations, and improving energy efficiency. Currently, 70 percent of America's clean energy systems and components are produced abroad. This bill would ensure that clean energy jobs are created here in the U.S. by supporting small and medium size manufacturers' transition to the clean energy economy.

In August, Brown led a group of ten U.S. senators in a letter written to President Barack Obama on the need to maintain a level playing field for American manufacturing in any climate change legislation. The senators expressed their support for a border adjustment mechanism and other initiatives that would ensure the future competiveness of U.S. manufacturing.

Brown, recently described as "Congress's leading proponent of American manufacturing," has been working with President Obama, Vice President Biden, and members of the Administration on the creation of a national manufacturing policy. As chairman of the U.S. Senate Banking Subcommittee on Economic Policy, Brown has held hearings on issues affecting the manufacturing industry and best practices for building a national manufacturing policy.

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