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The U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed comprehensive climate change legistlation today after months of contentious debate. Thanks to your calls and actions, the historic American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) will now be voted on by the Senate.

The Act will lead to millions of green jobs and place curbs on emissions that lead to global warming, passed by a vote of 219-212 after last-minute rallying for the bill by President Obama (see below), Repower America, Green for All, and others.

The legislation calls for the U.S. to reduce its greenhouse-gas emissions by 17 percent from 2005 levels by 2020.

The Act also outlines investments in clean energy and energy efficiency total over $190 billion through 2025 and a renewable electricity standard requires 20% of electricity to be generated through renewable energy and energy efficiency by 2020.

Al Gore, Chairman of the Alliance for Climate Protection remarked on the passage of this landmark legistlation:

“Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the Leadership of the House, and Chairmen Waxman and Markey have, through their leadership, secured an important bipartisan victory for the American people.

The American Clean Energy Security (ACES) Act is one of the most important pieces of legislation Congress will ever pass. This comprehensive legislation will make meaningful reductions in global warming pollution, spur investment in clean energy technology, create jobs and reduce our reliance on foreign oil.

The next step is passage of this legislation by the Senate to help restore America's leadership in the world and begin, at long last, to put in place a truly global solution to the climate crisis.

We are at an extraordinary moment, with an historic opportunity to confront one of the world’s most serious challenges. Our actions now will be remembered by this generation and all those to follow – in our own nation and others around the world.”