Today the Senate Foreign Relations Committee unanimously passed an amendment that sets forth key principles to guide the Bush administration in the international global warming negotiations. Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Joseph Biden (D-DE) sponsored the Sense of the Congress amendment to the Foreign Relations Authorization Bill.

“Senators Biden, Kerry and their colleagues on the Foreign Relations Committee should be praised for their leadership on climate change policy,” said Environmental Defense executive director Fred Krupp. “The Kerry-Biden amendment calls on the U.S. to re-engage in the global climate change talks that proved so successful in Bonn, where the governments of almost 180 countries pledged their support for the Kyoto Protocol. This amendment calls for the administration to reclaim the United States’ leadership in the international community’s effort to prevent dangerous warming.”

“The scientific consensus about the danger of global climate change is clear; the United States needs to act now to protect the interests of the American public and the world,” said Environmental Defense strategic communications director Steve Cochran.

One of the world’s leading international nonprofit organizations, Environmental Defense Fund (edf.org) creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. To do so, EDF links science, economics, law, and innovative private-sector partnerships. With more than 3 million members and offices in the United States, China, Mexico, Indonesia and the European Union, EDF’s scientists, economists, attorneys and policy experts are working in 28 countries to turn our solutions into action. Connect with us on Twitter @EnvDefenseFund