On March 21st, Rep. Norm Dicks (D-WA) introduced a "Sense of the Congress" resolution which states that Congress should enact "a mandatory national program to slow, stop and reverse emissions of greenhouse gases." The resolution, which has 21 cosponsors, including Reps. McGovern and Olver from Massachusetts, states that the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is causing average temperatures to rise, "at a rate outside the range of natural variability and are posing a substantial risk of rising sea-levels, altered patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation, and increased frequency and severity of floods and droughts." The resolution also argues that a mandatory, market-based cap on emissions will not harm the economy, but will encourage action "by other nations that are major trading partners and key contributors to global emissions."
This language is identical to what the Senate adopted in the last Congress and what Rep. Dicks tried unsuccessfully to have attached to the FY07 Interior Appropriations bill.
The resolution is unlikely to speed up debate or increase the chances of climate change legislation being passed more quickly, but it demonstrates that the Democrats are serious about working on this issue and will continue to pursue it.