Opportunity to Contact your Senators to Pass the Stimulus Bill

(National Wildlife Federation)

You have an opportunity to contact your senators and ask them "pass the Stimulus Bill, and keep it green and wildlife friendly by supporting the current green provisions and passing the Bingaman Amendment, the Landrieu Amendment, and the Harkin Amendment"

The Senate will be voting on the Economic Stimulus/Recovery Bill tomorrow 2/5/09 and we need your help. This bill contains HUGE funding for clean green technology, environmental education, and wildlife and natural resources restoration. But the senate is still considering details - both what to add and what to cut - and it's still unclear if the Bill can get the 60 votes needed to pass filibuster.

Affiliates have an opportunity to call your senators today and ask them to "pass the Stimulus Bill, and keep it green and wildlife friendly by supporting the current green provisions and passing the Bingaman Amendment, the Landrieu Amendment, and the Harkin Amendment"

Here are the top points for what's already included in the Senate Bill:

- Invests up to $3.5 billion for wildlife and habitat restoration.

- Invests $73 billion for efficiency and renewable energy (a 335% increase from FY'09 spending on effeciency and renewables).

- Invests up to $20 billion in modernizing schools with efficiency and renewable energy, and up to $400 million in green education and job training.

- Invests $250 million to help advance more sustainable, next generation biofuels and energy efficiency on farms.

What the Good Amendments are:

1. Landrieu amendment: Would increase funding by $2 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers to restore priority ecosystems such as the Everglades, Long Island Sound, Great Lakes, and Mississippi River.

2. Bingaman amendment: Would increase funding by $2.5 billion for habitat restoration on wildlife refuges, national parks, national forests, and other public lands and for State Wildlife Grants.

3. Harkin/Thune amendment: Would increase funding for several USDA programs that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency. The programs would help advance next generation biofuels and bioenergy that are friendlier to wildlife and more sustainable than corn ethanol

If/when passed the Senate stimulus/recovery bill will be conferenced with the already passed House bill and become one of the largest environmental and conservation investment bills ever. But the senate bill needs to pass and stay green. 

Here is an opportunity to call your Senators today and say:

"Pass the Stimulus Bill, and keep it green and wildlife friendly by supporting the current green provisions and passing the Bingaman Amendment, the Landrieu Amendment, and the Harkin Amendment"