WASHINGTON - June 10 - The Senate today voted against a resolution introduced by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) that would have blocked the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating global warming emissions under the Clean Air Act. The resolution sought to rescind the EPA's finding that global warming emissions endanger public health. The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) called Sen. Murkowski's resolution "an attack on science."

Below is a statement by Kevin Knobloch, UCS president:

"We're relieved the Senate ultimately realized just how irresponsible it would have been to pass this resolution.

"It's deeply disturbing that some senators thought they could wave a magic wand and make the entire body of climate science disappear. The EPA determined that global warming emissions endanger public health. Passing a resolution pretending the agency never made that finding can't erase the facts. The EPA is right to start regulating these emissions as soon as possible.

"Fortunately a majority of the Senate stood up to this attack on science. But that's not enough. The Senate needs to pass a bill that puts a limit on U.S. emissions this session with enough time to get a final bill to the president's desk.

"Senator Murkowski's resolution would have had far-reaching ramifications. Besides letting power plants and factories continue to emit dangerous pollutants, it would have jeopardized the historic agreement that set the first joint fuel economy and global warming tailpipe standards. In 2020, those standards will save more than a million barrels of oil per day, cut our emissions more than 200 million metric tons, save motorists more than $32 billion at the pump, and create as many as 200,000 new jobs across the country

"Many of the senators who voted for the resolution say they want Congress, not the administration, to address climate change. That position has integrity only if the Senate moves swiftly to pass a strong climate and energy bill."

Read the letter signed by nearly 2,000 scientists urging senators to oppose Sen. Murkowski's proposal.