Congressman Markey Defends Climate Change Bill

Massachusetts Congressman Edward Markey is defending the sweeping climate change legislation he co-sponsored against critics who say it doesn't go far enough.

Markey spoke Thursday at a public forum at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government with U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu. Both men later took unscripted questions from the audience.

Markey agreed with several questioners who said the bill's energy efficiency and carbon reduction efforts should be more aggressive. But he said his work isn't yet done.

"Yes, you can find deficiencies in the bill," Markey conceded. "But this won't be the last time we visit this. And we'll be able to return to this in five or six years, and then in 10 years, and then in 15 years, to accelerate this revolution so that we're the global leader."

The so-called Waxman-Markey bill passed the U.S. House in June and is now pending in the Senate. Markey said he expects the legislation to become law by the end of the year.