The American Clean Energy and Security Act (Waxman-Markey Bill)

Focus on the House

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES Act), H.R. 2454, on June 26 by a vote of 219 to 212. This comprehensive national climate and energy legislation would establish an economy-wide, greenhouse gas (GHG) cap-and-trade system and critical complementary measures to help address climate change and build a clean energy economy.  The House Energy and Commerce Committee voted 33-25 to approve the ACES Act on May 21.  Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-California) and Rep. Edward Markey (D-Massachusetts), chairman of a key subcommittee, introduced the bill on May 15, after floating a discussion draft in March. 

• Pew Center 2-Page ACES Act Summary (June 26, 2009)
• Detailed Summary of the ACES Act as passed by the House
• Graph: Distribution of Allowances under the ACES Act (June 26, 2009)
• Pew Center Statement on Passage of the ACES Act (June 26, 2009)

• In Brief: Agriculture Under the ACES Act (July 2009)
• In Brief: What the ACES Act Does for Coal (September 2009)
• In Brief: What Pending Climate Legislation Does for Nuclear Power (October 2009)

• Policy Memo: Eight Myths about the ACES Act  (June 23, 2009)
• Policy Memo: Cost of the ACES Act of 2009 Found to Be Small According to Government Analyses (June 24, 2009)
• Policy Memo: Distribution of Allowances under the ACES Act (August 2009)
• Policy Memo: Addressing Competitiveness Issues in Climate Legislation (September 2009)
• Policy Memo: Cost Containment and Offset Use (September 2009)

Committee Documents and other External Resources

• Summary of Manager’s Amendment to H. R. 2454
• H.R. 2454 By the Numbers
• H.R. 2454 Bill Text as Passed by the House
• H.R. 2454 Committee Summary
• EPA Analysis of H.R. 2454
• EPA Analysis Summary
• CBO Cost Estimate
• House Energy and Commerce Committee – ACES Act Resources

Additional Pew Center Resources

• Pew Center Testimony
     Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee - Cost Containment (September 15, 2009)
     Senate Finance Committee - International Trade Considerations (July 8. 2009)
     House Energy and Environment Subcommittee - International Aspects of the ACES Act (April 23, 2009)
     House Energy and Environment Subcommittee - Competitiveness and Climate Policy (March 18, 2009)
• Quick Reference Guide to Climate Policy
• Letter supporting the ACES Act (May 19, 2009)
• Distribution of Allowances in the ACES Act Chart (as reported by the Committee)
• House-Senate Renewable Electricity Standards Comparison
• House-Senate Energy Bill Comparison
  
• Waxman-Markey Discussion Draft Resources