Last week Sen. Susan Collins joined with Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and Reps. John Curtis, R-Utah, and Alan Lowenthal, D-Calif., to introduce in (respectively) the U.S. Senate and House a resolution marking Monday, Sept. 23, through Friday, Sept. 27, as National Clean Energy Week. Sen. Collins is right to speak up for the value of sustainable, clean energy in addressing the challenges of the climate crisis, and she is correct that in this direction lies new job and economic development that will benefit Maine and our nation.

Most of all, Sen. Collins is to be commended for this step in helping build effective bipartisan climate policy in Congress. We should not need to be reminded of the need for urgent action by our children. Sen. Collins could demonstrate her leadership in a big way by introducing a Senate companion bill to HR 763, a bipartisan carbon fee and dividend bill already being discussed in the U.S. House (with sponsorship including Maine 1st District Rep. Chellie Pingree).

This is a time for bipartisan collaboration and for bold leadership to address the climate crisis. We hope that Sen. Collins and our other members of Congress will show us more of both.

Edward Pontius

Portland