From a fund-raising e-mail by Repower America, a group known primarily for its exhortations:

Yesterday, thanks to your hard work, the U.S. Senate did the right thing — voting with the climate science and against a resolution that would have stripped the Clean Air Act’s protections against climate pollution.

The Senate is to be commended for defeating Senator Lisa Murkowski’s disastrously misguided proposal. But the truth is, in the face of the worst environmental disaster in our nation’s history, Senator Murkowski’s resolution never should have even reached the Senate floor.

It’s bad enough that some people want to debate this issue, now the Senate presumes to actually vote on setting environmental and economic policy? Outrageous! All power must rest with the EPA.

The full fundraising e-mail is here.

By a vote of 47 yeas to 53 nays, the Senate voted against the motion to proceed to a vote on S.J.Res. 26, the resolution to disapprove the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act.

It used to be that Congress jealously protected its rights and prerogatives against the encroachment of the Executive Branch.

Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL) is now on the Senate floor praising the Chicago Blackhawks.

UPDATE (5 p.m.): Here’s the roll call vote. Puzzling to see the Senators from coal and lignite states, especially, vote to let the EPA determine the fate of all of these energy-related jobs.

The Hill reports that some Senate Democrats may attempt to have it both ways on whether the Executive Branch should set climate and energy policy  by supporting a resolution by Sen. Jay Rockefeller that would put a two-year moratorium on EPA regulation of greenhouse gases.

What message does that send? 

• With this vote, we affirm Congress’ policymaking role in the American system of government. Well, at least for two years .
• EPA regulation would be disastrous for the economy. Therefore we stand strongly against its destruction of jobs and prosperity. Well, at least for two years.
• We recognize that EPA regulation is wrong, but important political constituencies demand some sort of action — even if it is EPA command-and-control. We believe this resolution represents a reasonable compromise. Well, at least for two years.

Do they not recognize that uncertainty is the enemy of investment, jobs and economic recovery?

George Will’s column today is timely and on point, “Jobs report a nightmare for Obama progressivism.”

Today investors and employers are certain that uncertainties are multiplying.

They are uncertain about when interest rates will rise, and by how much. They do not know how badly the economy will be burdened by the expiration, approximately 200 days from now, of the Bush tax cuts on high earners — aka investors and employers.

They know the costs of ObamaCare will be higher than was advertised, but not how much higher. They do not know the potential costs of cap-and-trade and other energy policies.

They do not know if “card check” — abolition of the right of secret ballot elections in unionization decisions — will pass, or how much the economy will be injured by making unions more muscular.

They do not know how the functioning of the financial sector will be altered and impeded by the many new regulatory rules and agencies created by the financial reform legislation.

Let uncertainty multiply. The recovery is not a priority. Jobs can come later.  The economy will not get well, at least for two years.

With the debate under way on S.J.Res. 26, the Murkowski resolution of disapproval,  we again note these communications from the National Association of Manufacturers:

• A statement from Executive Vice President Jay Timmons, “Manufacturers Urge Senate to Pass Murkowski Resolution“
• NAM’s Key Vote letter in support of S.J.Res. 26
• A letter urging passage from 24 business and manufacturing trade associations, NAM included.

The NAM’s energy policy experts are Tweeting the debate at www.twitter.com/Shopfloor_NAM

(ao) is Alicia Oman
(km) is Keith McCoy

The most popular hashtag seems to be #Murkowski.

The National Association of Manufacturers today sent a “Key Vote” letter to U.S. Senators expressing manufacturers’ support for S.J.Res. 26, the resolution of disapproval to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating greenhouse gas emissions without Congressional approval. From the letter:

Manufacturers support a comprehensive, federal climate policy within a framework that will cause no economic harm while granting sufficient time to deploy low-carbon technologies, such as carbon capture and sequestration, renewable energy and a renewed commitment to nuclear energy.

Prior to the onset of the financial crisis in 2008, energy inflation and price volatility were major contributors to the loss of approximately 3.7 million high-wage manufacturing jobs. Manufacturers use one-third of our nation’s energy. Because of the impact a federal climate policy will have on the nation’s energy future, this is an issue that must be debated by Congress without pre-emption from a federal agency.

EPA regulations, with no guidance from Congress, could establish disincentives for the long-term investments needed to grow jobs and expedite economic recovery. The Murkowski resolution seeks to ensure a healthy and productive discussion in Congress on harmonizing our nation’s energy, environmental and economic needs. That discussion must take place before the EPA starts regulating GHG emissions from stationary sources, including manufacturing facilities.

EPA lacks the authority to write its own law, its own version of the Clean Air Act, to control greenhouse gas emissions, which by extension controls economic activity. You could be a believer in stringent controls but still recognize that the American system of representative democracy does not grant the power to issue such controls to an executive branch agency. S.J.Res. 26 serves as a clear test for Senators whether they really believe that Congress is the policymaking branch of government.

Senate debate is expected Thursday. Key Vote letters are used by the NAM in ranking the members of Congress on their support for manufacturing.