DENVER - Colorado Senator Michael Bennet and his Democratic challenger Andrew Romanoff touted the importance of clean energy Sunday, just as Senate Democrats scale back their plans for an energy bill.
Majority Leader Harry Reid announced earlier that he will trim back a comprehensive energy bill because of lack of support in the Senate. In a tour of Ravenbrick, a Denver-based clean tech company, Bennet said he would "keep fighting" to achieve meaningful legislation.
"The chances of seeing a more comprehensive bill in the very short term are very low," Bennet said. "We can't give up; we gotta keep working on it."
Bennet said Ravenbrick, which designs filters for windows that control solar heat, is an example of a small business that Washington should be supporting.
"You have a window that makes you more comfortable, pays for itself in five years and is far better for the environment," said Ravenbrick C.E.O. Alex Burney.
Burney said the current climate change legislation in Congress is not perfect but is better than nothing.
"It's not where you want it to be but it's at least something that may grow in the future," Burney said.
Bennet's opponent in the August 10 Democratic primary, Andrew Romanoff, also expressed his disappointment with the current energy bill.
"We are not satisfied with the way Washington works," Romanoff said. "The Senate is where good ideas go to die. The debate over climate change is a good example.
Romanoff said a Washington beholden to special interests like Big Oil was unlikely to make the major changes needed to reverse global warming. He said his clean energy agenda was the most aggressive in the Senate race. Romanoff said time for a comprehensive energy fix is rapidly slipping away.
"The window we've got to reverse or mitigate the effects of climate change is rapidly closing," he said. "And if we don't seize the opportunity now it may be lost forever."
Majority Leader Harry Reid announced earlier that he will trim back a comprehensive energy bill because of lack of support in the Senate. In a tour of Ravenbrick, a Denver-based clean tech company, Bennet said he would "keep fighting" to achieve meaningful legislation.
"The chances of seeing a more comprehensive bill in the very short term are very low," Bennet said. "We can't give up; we gotta keep working on it."
Bennet said Ravenbrick, which designs filters for windows that control solar heat, is an example of a small business that Washington should be supporting.
"You have a window that makes you more comfortable, pays for itself in five years and is far better for the environment," said Ravenbrick C.E.O. Alex Burney.
Burney said the current climate change legislation in Congress is not perfect but is better than nothing.
"It's not where you want it to be but it's at least something that may grow in the future," Burney said.
Bennet's opponent in the August 10 Democratic primary, Andrew Romanoff, also expressed his disappointment with the current energy bill.
"We are not satisfied with the way Washington works," Romanoff said. "The Senate is where good ideas go to die. The debate over climate change is a good example.
Romanoff said a Washington beholden to special interests like Big Oil was unlikely to make the major changes needed to reverse global warming. He said his clean energy agenda was the most aggressive in the Senate race. Romanoff said time for a comprehensive energy fix is rapidly slipping away.
"The window we've got to reverse or mitigate the effects of climate change is rapidly closing," he said. "And if we don't seize the opportunity now it may be lost forever."
