Kerry-Lieberman American Power Act

Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT) released on May 12, 2010 the discussion draft of a comprehensive bill (with summary) intended to create jobs, enhance national security, spur clean energy innovation, and protect the environment.

The road toward the American Power Act (APA) began on October 11, 2009, when Sens. Kerry and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) penned a joint opinion piece in The New York Times announcing their effort to work on comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation. The article outlined the general policy measures they intended to incorporate to gain bipartisan support for the measure in the Senate.

Two months later, having built upon the op-ed, Sens. Kerry and Graham, now joined by Sen. Lieberman, introduced the Framework for Climate Action and Energy Independence in a letter to President Obama dated December 10, 2009.

Over the next several months, the trio of Senators reached out to colleagues in both parties, coalitions such as USCAP, and trade groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers to design a compromise document. Sen. Graham left the effort in late April 2010.

C2ES Resources on the Kerry-Lieberman American Power Act

• C2ES 3-Page Summary of the American Power Act
• C2ES Detailed Summary of the American Power Act
• Comparison of the American Power Act (Kerry-Lieberman) and the American Clean Energy and Security Act (Waxman-Markey)
• Graph: Allocations Over Time - American Power Act
• Graph: Allocation Pie Chart - American Power Act
• Graph: GDP Impacts of U.S. Energy-Climate Legislation
• Table: Allocation of Emission Allowances in the American Power Act
• Comparison Chart: Clean Energy Standard Provisions in Climate and Energy Legislation for the 111th Congress (July 7, 2010)
• Comparison Chart: Energy Efficiency provisions in Energy and Climate Legislation for the 111th Congress
• Comparison Chart: Plug-In Electric Vehicles in Climate-Energy Legislation for the 111th Congress
• Eileen Claussen’s Statement on the Kerry-Lieberman Bill
• C2ES Summary of Initial Framework for Climate Action and Energy Independence

External Documents and Other Resources

• EPA Analysis of Kerry-Lieberman
• EPA Analysis Appendix
• CBO Cost Estimate
• CRS Comparison of Selected Senate Energy and Climate Change Proposals
• John Kerry - American Power Act Resources

Additional C2ES Resources

• The House-passed energy-climate bill
• Climate Policy Memo: Comparison of CEJAP Act and CLEAR Act
• System Design
  • Climate Policy Memo: Cap & Trade v Taxes
  • Congressional Testimony of Eileen Claussen on How to Design Legislation to Contain Cost and Minimize GHG Allowance Price Volatility before the Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources (September 15, 2009)
  • Congressional Policy Brief: Scope of a Greenhouse Gas Cap-and-Trade Program
  • Congressional Policy Brief: Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Timetables
• Allocation
  • Climate Policy Memo: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Allowance Allocation
  • Congressional Policy Brief: Greenhouse Gas Offsets in a Domestic Cap-and-Trade Program
• Cost-containment and Offsets
  • Congressional Policy Brief: Containing the Costs of Climate Policy
• Competitiveness/International
  • Climate Policy Memo: Addressing Competitiveness Issues in Climate Legislation
  • Congressional Testimony of Eileen Claussen on Climate Change Legislation: International Trade Considerations before the Senate Committee on Finance (July 8, 2009)
  • Congressional Testimony of Eileen Claussen on Competitiveness and Climate Policy before the House Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment (March 18, 2009)
  • Congressional Policy Brief: Addressing Competitiveness in U.S. Climate Change Policy
• Waxman-Markey (ACES Act)
  • Climate Policy Memo: Eight Myths about the ACES Act
  • Climate Policy Memo: Cost of ACES Act
  • Climate Policy Memo: Allowance Distribution under ACES Act
  • Climate Policy Memo: Cost Containment and Offset Use in the ACES Act
• Complementary Policies
  • Congressional Policy Brief: Technology Policies to Address Climate Change
  • Congressional Policy Brief: Addressing Emissions From Coal Use in Power Generation
  • Congressional Policy Brief: Policies to Reduce Emissions from the Transportation Sector
  • Congressional Policy Brief: Tax Policies to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
• Quick Reference Guide to Climate Policy