Chancellor Merkel Addresses Joint Session Of Congress, Warns Against Nuclear Armed Iran

By Laura Smith - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

German Chancellor Angela Merkel stated Tuesday during an address to a joint session of Congress that the international community should show no tolerance toward a nuclear armed Iran.

“Zero tolerance needs to be shown when there is a risk of weapons of mass destruction falling, for example, into the hands of Iran, infecting our security,” said Merkel.

“Iran needs to be aware of this. Iran knows our offer. But Iran also knows where we draw the line. A nuclear bomb in the hands of an Iranian President who denies the Holocaust, threatens Israel and denies Israel the right to exist, is unacceptable,” she added.

The Chancellor also urged support for Israel.

“Not just Israel is threatened, but the whole of the free world is threatened. Whoever threatens Israel, threatens us.”

She said Germany has shared former president George W. Bush’s view on terrorism after the attacks on September 11, 2001 and Germany felt they had to prevent Afghanistan from harboring a threat again. Germany has been on the ground in Afghanistan since 2002, and they hold the third largest troop contingent.

Merkel’s address to Congress comes just a few days before the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

She is the second German Chancellor to address Congress, but the only to address a joint session. The first Chancellor to address Congress was Konrad Adenauer, who addressed separate sessions in 1957.

Republicans Boycott Climate Change Markup

Travis Martinez, University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

Republican Senators on the Environment and Public Works Committee Tuesday are boycotting the first session of the committee’s markup of the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act, or Kerry-Boxer bill, in an effort to urge the committee to submit the legislation to the Environmental Protection Agency for economic analysis.

Democrats on the committee expressed their displeasure with the absence of the Republican members, with Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) dubbing the missing Republican members as being “AWOL."

"Frankly, I’m shocked these Republicans have evaded this markup,” Lautenberg said.

The only Republican Senator who appeared with the committee was Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio). The Senator spoke as a "mock spokesman," as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) put it, explaining that he, along with his Republican colleagues, are ready to work with the committee and the EPA in a bipartisan fashion under proper circumstances.

“As the leader of this committee, I hope you will make the right decision, for the sake of my constituents, for the sake of bipartisanship and for the future of this country,” Voinovich told Chairwoman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.).

Voinovich stressed the importance of putting the bill through a full economic evaluation with the EPA before the markup process continues.

“While I believe that S.1733 will likely move forward with policies that I oppose, I can’t imagine why we would move ahead without the best information possible from the agency that will be charged with implementing the legislation,” said Voinovich.

At the close of Voinovich’s remarks, in a sign of bipartisanship, Voinovich shook hands with Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and offered to work with the majority party through the markup process.

Boxer reiterated throughout the markup that Republicans will be more than welcome to join the committee later today and through the rest of the process.

"The door will be open, and I encourage the Republican members to join us at work to get the job done," said Boxer

The committee will stop the markup at 2:30 to allow testimony to be heard from EPA officials.

World Needs A Commitment From U.S. On Climate Change

By Leah Valencia - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

In Barcelona, policy makers are awaiting a commitment from the U.S. to cut greenhouse gas emissions during preliminary agreements being made ahead of the UN climate conference in Copenhagen next month.

Nick Mabey, CEO of E3G, a nonprofit think tank that promotes green solutions, said Monday that key players have began to advocate ambitious commitments, noting that China and India have discussed lofty international abatement commitments. Mabey said that all that remains is a commitment from the U.S to reduce emissions.

“With the major countries moving on finance and on commitment, this really sets up for the EU-US summit...to see the U.S. come forward and make a very positive statement about its intentions,” Mabey said during a conference call hosted by the U.S. Climate Action Network.

The U.S., which is the second largest greenhouse gas emitter in the world - China is the largest - has yet to commit to a goal to reduce emissions by 2020. This has made it difficult to gain commitments from other developing countries. In contrast the European Union has vowed to cut 1990-level emissions by 20 percent in the next decade.

“The principle for supporting developing countries is committing to finance, as Europe has, and a strong agreement that we can build on in the future,” Mabey said. “This is really an important time where U.S. leadership has to come to the full.”

The current preliminary discussions taking place in Barcelona represent the final negotiating sessions before the United Nations meets in Copenhagen on Dec. 6 for the EU-US climate conference. There, 190 nations will draft an agreement to succeed the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.

Senators Face-Off Over Kerry-Boxer Bill

By Leah Valencia, University of New Mexico- Talk Radio News Service

Senators faced off over the cost of the Kerry-Boxer climate change bill Tuesday when co-author Sen. John Kerry testified that he believed although the legislation would increase energy costs, a lack of action would cause worse problems for the environment and U.S. security.

"Are there some costs? Yes sir, there are some costs," said Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) in his testimony before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. "[But] none of them factor in the cost of doing nothing."

However, some Republican members were not so willing to brush aside the prospect of higher energy costs.

"Cap and trade is very expensive. This is something the American people can't tolerate and I don't think they will," said Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), the committee’s ranking member.

The Clean Energy Jobs And American Power act seeks to reduce greenhouse emissions by 20 percent within the next decade.

Kerry added that working to reduce dependency on fossil fuels would allow the U.S. to be a leader in developing new technologies, and thus creating new jobs.

"America's leadership is on the line here," Kerry said.

White House Officials agreed with Kerry's assertion during their testimonies before the committee.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu warned that if the U.S. does not act fast to be on the forefront of developing green technologies, other countries would.

Many committee members, including some Democrats like Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), questioned the feasibility of the ambitious bill.

Sen. Alexander: 100 U.S. Power Plants In 20 Years

Travis Martinez, University of New Mexico - Talk Radio News Service

U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) wants to see 100 new nuclear power plants built within the next 20 years. Alexander spoke to 200 conservationists today at a forum hosted by conservative think tank Resources For The Future.

“I believe that what Americans should most fear about nuclear power is [that] the rest of world will use it to create low-cost, carbon-free electricity while [America], who invented the technology, will not,” said Alexander. “Within twenty years a new energy sprawl will consume an area larger than that of Nebraska... The unintended consequences from using renewable energy to mitigate climate change could damage the environment in the name of saving the environment.”

The United States has not built a nuclear power plant since 1990. Alexander said that future climate legislation should include details on optimum nuclear power plant site utilization and resources for low-carbon or carbon-free energy production.

Alexander said he does not have legislation prepared, but is asking for someone to take charge. “Two words: Presidential leadership. The president went to New York, to the UN climate change summit where he lectured other countries for not doing enough, when [other countries] are building nuclear power plants, when the U.S. hasn't built one in thirty years,” he said.