The_AT House_NN1 and_CC Global_JJ Warming_NN1 American_JJ politicians_NN2 ,_, from_II both_DB2 parties_NN2 ,_, insist_VV0 that_CST they_PPHS2 want_VV0 to_TO combat_VVI global_JJ warming_NN1 and_CC reduce_VVI this_DD1 country_NN1 's_GE dependence_NN1 on_II fossil_NN1 fuels_NN2 ._. 
Members_NN2 of_IO the_AT House_NN1 will_VM soon_RR have_VHI a_AT1 chance_NN1 to_TO show_VVI they_PPHS2 mean_VV0 it_PPH1 ._. 
Voters_NN2 should_VM watch_VVI carefully_RR to_TO see_VVI what_DDQ they_PPHS2 do_VD0 ._. 
The_AT American_JJ Clean_JJ Energy_NN1 and_CC Security_NN1 Act_NN1 would_VM ,_, for_IF the_AT first_MD time_NNT1 ,_, put_VVD a_AT1 price_NN1 on_II carbon_NN1 emissions_NN2 ._. 
The_AT bill_NN1 has_VHZ shortcomings_NN2 ._. 
But_CCB we_PPIS2 believe_VV0 that_CST it_PPH1 is_VBZ an_AT1 important_JJ beginning_NN1 to_II the_AT urgent_JJ task_NN1 of_IO averting_VVG the_AT worst_JJT damage_NN1 from_II climate_NN1 change_NN1 ._. 
Approval_NN1 would_VM show_VVI that_CST the_AT United_NP1 States_NP1 is_VBZ ready_JJ to_TO lead_VVI and_CC would_VM pressure_NN1 other_JJ countries_NN2 to_TO follow_VVI ._. 
Rejection_NN1 could_VM mean_VVI more_RGR wasted_JJ years_NNT2 and_CC more_DAR damage_NN1 to_II the_AT planet_NN1 ._. 
The_AT outcome_NN1 depends_VVZ on_II perhaps_RR 30_MC Democrats_NN2 who_PNQS fear_VV0 higher_JJR energy_NN1 costs_VVZ for_IF businesses_NN2 and_CC consumers_NN2 ,_, and_CC a_AT1 dozen_NNO or_CC so_RG Republican_JJ moderates_NN2 who_PNQS also_RR worry_VV0 about_II costs_NN2 and_CC who_PNQS have_VH0 been_VBN pressed_VVN by_II their_APPGE leadership_NN1 not_XX to_TO give_VVI President_NNB Obama_NP1 a_AT1 victory_NN1 ._. 
We_PPIS2 urge_VV0 all_DB to_TO examine_VVI several_DA2 recent_JJ studies_NN2 showing_VVG the_AT costs_NN2 of_IO the_AT legislation_NN1 to_TO be_VBI minimal_JJ ._. 
The_AT non-partisan_JJ Congressional_JJ Budget_NN1 Office_NN1 projects_VVZ average_JJ costs_NN2 of_IO $175_NNU a_AT1 year_NNT1 per_II American_JJ household_NN1 by_II 2020_MC --_JJ vastly_RR lower_JJR than_CSN the_AT $3,000-plus_NNU figure_NN1 bandied_VVD about_RP by_II Republican_NN1 leaders_NN2 ._. 
We_PPIS2 also_RR urge_VV0 them_PPHO2 to_TO read_VVI the_AT scientific_JJ analysis_NN1 forecasting_VVG the_AT catastrophic_JJ costs_NN2 to_II the_AT planet_NN1 ,_, this_DD1 country_NN1 's_GE security_NN1 and_CC its_APPGE economy_NN1 if_CS global_JJ warming_NN1 is_VBZ left_JJ unchecked_JJ ._. 
The_AT centerpiece_NN1 of_IO the_AT legislation_NN1 is_VBZ a_AT1 provision_NN1 that_CST aims_VVZ to_TO cut_VVI America_NP1 's_GE production_NN1 of_IO greenhouse_NN1 gases_NN2 by_II 17_MC percent_NNU by_II 2020_MC and_CC 83_MC percent_NNU by_II midcentury_NN1 --_NN1 the_AT minimum_JJ reductions_NN2 scientists_NN2 say_VV0 are_VBR necessary_JJ to_TO avert_VVI the_AT worst_JJT consequences_NN2 of_IO climate_NN1 change_NN1 ._. 
Its_APPGE mechanism_NN1 for_IF doing_VDG so_RR is_VBZ a_AT1 cap-and-trade_JJ system_NN1 that_CST would_VM place_VVI a_AT1 steadily_RR declining_JJ ceiling_NN1 on_II emissions_NN2 while_CS allowing_VVG emitters_NN2 to_TO trade_VVI permits_NN2 ,_, or_CC allowances_NN2 ,_, to_TO give_VVI them_PPHO2 flexibility_NN1 in_II meeting_VVG their_APPGE targets_NN2 ._. 
The_AT point_NN1 is_VBZ to_TO raise_VVI the_AT cost_NN1 of_IO older_JJR ,_, dirtier_JJR fuels_NN2 while_CS steering_VVG investments_NN2 to_II cleaner_JJR ones_NN2 ._. 
The_AT two_MC seasoned_JJ politicians_NN2 behind_II this_DD1 bill_NN1 --_NN1 Henry_NP1 Waxman_NN1 of_IO California_NP1 and_CC Ed_NP1 Markey_NP1 of_IO Massachusetts_NP1 --_NN1 have_VH0 also_RR insisted_VVN on_II provisions_NN2 that_CST would_VM mandate_NN1 more_RGR efficient_JJ buildings_NN2 ,_, require_VV0 cleaner_JJR energy_NN1 sources_NN2 like_II wind_NN1 power_NN1 and_CC provide_VV0 subsidies_NN2 for_IF new_JJ technologies_NN2 ._. 
They_PPHS2 have_VH0 tried_VVN hard_RR to_TO shield_VVI poor_JJ consumers_NN2 from_II higher_JJR energy_NN1 costs_NN2 ._. 
The_AT C.B.O._NP1 estimates_VVZ that_CST ,_, with_IW rebates_NN2 ,_, the_AT bottom_NN1 20_MC percent_NNU would_VM actually_RR come_VVI out_RP ahead_RL ._. 
They_PPHS2 have_VH0 bent_VVN over_RP backwards_RL --_NN1 too_RG far_RR backwards_RL ,_, according_II21 to_II22 some_DD critics_NN2 --_JJ to_TO ease_VVI the_AT cost_NN1 of_IO compliance_NN1 for_IF polluters_NN2 by_II giving_VVG them_PPHO2 relatively_RR inexpensive_JJ ways_NN2 to_TO satisfy_VVI their_APPGE emissions_NN2 quotas_NN2 before_CS they_PPHS2 have_VH0 to_TO invest_VVI heavily_RR in_II cleaner_JJR energy_NN1 sources_NN2 and_CC new_JJ technologies_NN2 ._. 
The_AT C.B.O._NP1 did_VDD not_XX factor_NN1 in_II the_AT potential_JJ cost_NN1 savings_NN2 to_II consumers_NN2 from_II other_JJ parts_NN2 of_IO the_AT bill_NN1 --_NN1 the_AT energy_NN1 efficiency_NN1 provisions_NN2 ,_, for_REX21 instance_REX22 ._. 
Nor_CC was_VBDZ it_PPH1 asked_VVN to_TO quantify_VVI the_AT costs_NN2 of_IO doing_VDG nothing_PN1 ._. 
But_CCB we_PPIS2 know_VV0 the_AT answer_NN1 to_II that_DD1 ._. 
By_II any_DD measure_NN1 --_NN1 drought_NN1 ,_, famine_NN1 ,_, coastal_JJ devastation_NN1 --_NN1 the_AT costs_NN2 of_IO inaction_NN1 ,_, of_IO clinging_VVG to_II a_AT1 broken_JJ energy_NN1 policy_NN1 ,_, will_VM dwarf_VVI the_AT costs_NN2 of_IO acting_VVG now_RT ._. 
It_PPH1 is_VBZ this_DD1 truth_NN1 that_CST the_AT House_NN1 must_VM keep_VVI firmly_RR in_II mind_NN1 as_CSA it_PPH1 votes_VVZ ._. 
