Legislative Corner

COEJL advocates action on a wide of array of environmental issues, from protecting public health and securing environmental justice to preserving biodiversity and addressing global climate change.

COEJL's policy positions are formulated through the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA), a national coordinating body for 14 national and 125 local Jewish public affairs agencies (Jewish community relations councils). The Jewish Council for Public Affairs develops consensus positions on a wide range of public affairs issues for the organized Jewish community. These policies constitute COEJL's policy platform and the foundation for COEJL's advocacy work.

Over the course of the past few months, COEJL has worked closely with several national agencies to create a climate change policy statement that succinctly articulates the values and advocacy priorities we support. We are proud to share it with you here.

America’s Climate Security Act (S 3036)

This bipartisan bill would set a firm, economy-wide cap on America's global warming pollution.  The Climate Security Act (S 3036) passed out of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on December 5, 2007 and is now ready for a full Senate vote, which is scheduled for June 2, 2008. 

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The Energy Bill (HR 6)

This summer, both the House and Senate passed separate energy bills.  Both bodies spent three months negotiating a compromise bill that incorporates the strongest provisions from each chamber.  Ultimately, the President signed a bill that raises automobile fuel economy standards and significantly expands a renewable fuels mandate.  Unfortunately, the final bill does not include several key provisions, including a Renewable Electricity Standard (“RES”), which would have required power plants to provide 15% of our energy from clean, renewable sources by 2020.

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United States-Israel Energy Cooperation Act

On December 19, 2007, the President signed The Energy Independence and Security Act (H.R. 6) into law. Of particular concern to the Jewish community, the Act included a provision ("The United States-Israel Energy Cooperation Act", "USIECA") that would encourage cooperation between the United States and Israel on research, development, and commercialization of alternative energy, improved energy efficiency, and renewable energy sources.

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• Take Action
• Sign-On Letters Archive
• Poverty and Climate Change
• COEJL/JCPA  Environmental Policy Compendium
• Jewish Community Priorities for Climate and Energy Policy