Senate Amendment 866, Sec. 16 was adopted after being submitted by Sen.
Bingaman for himself and Senators Arlen Specter (R-PA), Pete Domenici (R-NM), Lamar
Alexander (R-TN), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Joseph Lieberman (D-CT), Frank
Lautenberg (D-NJ), John McCain (R-AZ), James Jeffords (I-VT), John Kerry (D-MA),
Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Barbara Boxer (D-CA).

(a) FINDINGS. - Congress finds that -

(1) greenhouse gases accumulating in the atmosphere are causing average
temperatures to rise at a rate outside the range of natural variability and are
posing a substantial risk of rising sea-levels, altered patterns of atmospheric
and oceanic circulation, and increased frequency and severity of floods and
droughts;

(2) there is a growing scientific consensus that human activity is a
substantial cause of greenhouse gas accumulation in the atmosphere; and

(3) mandatory steps will be required to slow or stop the growth of greenhouse
gas emissions into the atmosphere.

(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE. - It is the sense of the Senate that, before the end
of the first session of the 109th Congress, Congress should enact a
comprehensive and effective national program of mandatory, market-based limits on
emissions of greenhouse gases, that slow, stop and reverse the growth of such
emissions at a rate and in a manner that -

(1) will not significantly harm the United States economy; and

(2) will encourage comparable action by other nations that are major trading
partners and key contributors to global emissions.