Quotes on the climate bill

"I reiterated America's commitment to stand with Germany and lead in confronting the energy and climate change crisis.... It's my hope that the United States will match that commitment today, when our House of Representatives votes on a critical energy bill that will promote a new generation of clean, renewable energy in our country." — President Barack Obama after a morning meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
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"This is, indeed, a sea change that I see, this upcoming bill anticipated today in the House on climate, that this really points to the fact that the United States are very serious on climate." — German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
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"In the midst of the worst recession in a generation, this administration and this majority in Congress are prepared to pass a national energy tax that will raise the cost of energy on every American family." — Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind.
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"This bill doesn't solve every problem, but passage today means that we build momentum for the debate coming up in the Senate and negotiations for the treaty talks in December which will put in place a global solution to the climate crisis." — Former Vice President Al Gore.
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"To support such a bill is to abandon the real leadership that is called for at this pivotal moment in history. We simply no longer have the time for legislation this weak." — Daniel Kessler, spokesman for Greenpeace.
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"I do believe a weak bill is better than no bill ... I think today's vote establishes a good deal of momentum. There's a head of steam, hopefully, wind- and solar-generated steam." — Michael Gerrard, director of the Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School.
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"This legislation is the first step toward an energy policy for the 21st century. It will lead to technology innovation, good domestic jobs, less use of oil and more protection of the world we live in." — Timothy E. Wirth, president of United Nations Foundation.
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"This is clearly a movement away from coal and the industry will be phased out because the proposed bill will dramatically increase the cost of coal to the point where it's not competitive with other fuel sources. In addition, it will force utilities to switch from lower cost coal to natural gas or other more expensive energy sources." — Rob Murray, a vice president at Murray Energy Corp.
"It's the most important environmental and energy legislation in our nation's history." _ Fred Krupp, president of the Environmental Defense Fund. link...