Thomas Friedman said of the Waxman-Markey Bill: "It stinks. It's a mess... Now let's get it passed in the Senate and make it law."

So why does he want this stinky, messy bill to become law?

In the New York Times, Friedman explained that this bill, for all its imperfections, is "the first comprehensive attempt by America to mitigate climate change by putting a price on carbon emissions. Rejecting this bill would have been read in the world as America voting against the reality and urgency of climate change and would have undermined clean energy initiatives everywhere."

To muster enough support for the bill to be passed through the House, the bill had to include provisions that would weaken it. Still, it creates incentives for businesses to cut costs by going green: "weaving carbon emissions into every business decision will drive innovation and deployment of clean technologies to a whole new level and make energy efficiency much more affordable." Through the bill, new buildings and appliances will be more energy efficient, forests will be conserved, and mindsets will change- factoring in pollution as a production cost will change the way we make things.

Let's heed Friedman's final words of wisdom: "Now that the bill is heading for the Senate... we must, ideally, try to improve it, but, at a minimum, guard against diluting it any further."

* ACT NOW in support of strengthened environmental protection policy!

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The Foreign Relations Authorization Act for FY2010 was voted on yesterday (June 10) in the House of Representatives. The Bill passed successfully by a vote of 235 to 187. Through a mass "vote alert" to foreign policy staffers on the Hill, Citizens for Global Solutions helped to successfully defeat an amendment aimed at limiting United States funding for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This was not the only victory of the day as the House passed several amendments dealing with human and women's rights in Afghanistan, the elimination of the use of child soldiers, and the establishment of a Global Clean Energy Exchange Program.

This Bill is a huge step forward for the United States in terms of international diplomacy. In addition to the important language on repaying our dues to the United Nations and other international organizations, these extra amendments are steps forward for the United States' human rights and environmental policy agendas. Citizens for Global Solutions applauds the House for passing this Bill, and hope to see this positive foreign policy trend continue in the Senate Authorization Bill that should be released soon.

On Wednesday May 20, 2009, the full House Committee on Foreign Affairs will meet to discuss H.R. 2410, the Foreign Relations Authorization Bill introduced by Committee Chairman Howard Berman (D-CA). Citizens for Global Solutions applauds Mr. Berman for his attention to the need for increased engagement between the United States and the international community. The Bill includes legislation that runs parallel to the interests of Citizens for Global Solutions, and we encourage the rest of the Committee to support these measures.

The legislation that we find most important includes:

1. Paying back our dues and arrearages to the United Nations and other international organizations, as well as synchronizing our payments so that they are received at the first of the year for which they apply;

2. Reauthorizing and expanding the Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI);

3. Paying our share of international peacekeeping activities, as well as increasing our logistical support for such missions; and

4. Developing our capacity for early warning and genocide prevention to combat situations where mass atrocities against civilians occur.

We urge the Committee to pass this legislation as is in order to show that the United States is committed to working both with the international community and from within to meet the challenges that our world faces today.

Press Release