May 4, 2010

Nelson Pledges to Filibuster Climate Bill With Drilling

Photo by nasa hq, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasahqphoto/4534868785/">via Flickr</a>.


Anti-drilling Democrats pledged on Tuesday to block any climate and energy bill that would pave the way for new oil and gas drilling off the coasts of the United States, stepping up the heat on what was already a contentious issue in the Senate debate.

“Any proposal for offshore drilling is dead on arrival,” said Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat and one of the most vocal opponents of plans to expand drilling. “If offshore drilling is a part of it, this legislation is not going anywhere.”

“If I have to do a filibuster … I will do so,” said Nelson.

Nelson joined New Jersey Democrats Robert Menendez and Frank Lautenberg in a press conference on Tuesday calling for a halt to plans to expand drilling as proposed by the Obama administration, and also exploration of new regions for oil and gas development. They also called for the Senate climate and energy bill, which remains on hold amid political wrangling, to stop an expansion of drilling. What that bill may do to expand or incentivize more drilling is one of the more contentious issues among senators. Pro-drilling Democrats like Mary Landrieu have said that the incentives for drilling are crucial to getting their votes.

Menendez said Tuesday that the spill should be an impetus for the Senate to act on climate and energy, rather than an a barrier. “I would like to think that instead of hurting climate change, the spill has actually thrust into light why we in fact are demanding an end to dependence on fossil fuels, demanding an end to polluting our planet,” said Menendez.

“If anything this spill should act as a rallying cry for comprehensive climate and energy legislation,” he continued. “Instead of expanding drilling and doubling down on 19th century fuels, we should be investing in a new 21st century green economy.”

More Mother Jones reporting on Climate Desk

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WHO DOESN’T LOVE A POSITIVE STORY—OR TWO?

“Great journalism really does make a difference in this world: it can even save kids.”

That’s what a civil rights lawyer wrote to Julia Lurie, the day after her major investigation into a psychiatric hospital chain that uses foster children as “cash cows” published, letting her know he was using her findings that same day in a hearing to keep a child out of one of the facilities we investigated.

That’s awesome. As is the fact that Julia, who spent a full year reporting this challenging story, promptly heard from a Senate committee that will use her work in their own investigation of Universal Health Services. There’s no doubt her revelations will continue to have a big impact in the months and years to come.

Like another story about Mother Jones’ real-world impact.

This one, a multiyear investigation, published in 2021, exposed conditions in sugar work camps in the Dominican Republic owned by Central Romana—the conglomerate behind brands like C&H and Domino, whose product ends up in our Hershey bars and other sweets. A year ago, the Biden administration banned sugar imports from Central Romana. And just recently, we learned of a previously undisclosed investigation from the Department of Homeland Security, looking into working conditions at Central Romana. How big of a deal is this?

“This could be the first time a corporation would be held criminally liable for forced labor in their own supply chains,” according to a retired special agent we talked to.

Wow.

And it is only because Mother Jones is funded primarily by donations from readers that we can mount ambitious, yearlong—or more—investigations like these two stories that are making waves.

About that: It’s unfathomably hard in the news business right now, and we came up about $28,000 short during our recent fall fundraising campaign. We simply have to make that up soon to avoid falling further behind than can be made up for, or needing to somehow trim $1 million from our budget, like happened last year.

If you can, please support the reporting you get from Mother Jones—that exists to make a difference, not a profit—with a donation of any amount today. We need more donations than normal to come in from this specific blurb to help close our funding gap before it gets any bigger.

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