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Kat McCullough/MNS
Washington-– Promising millions of new jobs, Senators John Kerry and Barbara Boxer unveiled their new clean energy bill last week. Boxer, the Democrat from California, said at a press conference held on the Capitol lawn on Wednesday, “We know that energy, clean energy is the ticket to strong, stable economic growth.”
According to Kerry (D-Mass), “Every dollar invested in clean energy creates nearly four times as many jobs as a dollar invested in the old fuels.” The bill is lengthy, over 800 pages, yet Kerry says the aim is clear. “Our health, our economy, our environment, our security- they’re all sending us the same message. It is time to re-invent the way that America uses energy.”
While the bill faces a hard road in the Senate, students like Andy Ludwig, who is in the MBA program at George Washington University with hopes of transitioning into the sustainable energy field, are counting on lawmakers to come through and support the growing industry.
“I graduate in May 2010 and I’ll be looking to work immediately after that hopefully for a clean energy company,” Ludwig said. “I think it would make a tangible effect on the economy if there was a movement that really got the green-collar jobs rolling.”
Supporters aim to have the bill close to approval before the Copenhagen summit in December; Ludwig just hopes the bill, or similar legislation, passes before he starts his job search.
“I definitely think my prospects would be a lot better, for myself and for others like me looking for jobs.”