It’s been a long time coming, but Congress finally is taking a serious stab at shaping an energy policy for America. Democratic Reps. Henry Waxman of California and Edward Markey of Massachusetts deserve credit for forcing Congress to confront our national addiction to dirty fossil fuels.

Make no mistake, though: The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 isn’t the comprehensive energy strategy this editorial board advocates and this nation urgently requires. The bill is long on environmental policy mandates but short on energy. …

No energy or environmental bill can be complete without a serious and comprehensive strategy to develop nuclear energy, essentially a carbon-free but reliable power source. …

This bill must streamline the permitting process for nuclear plants, address safety concerns and provide incentives for companies to invest in nuclear power. …

It’s unlikely that this very complicated bill will be ready for the full House to consider by Memorial Day, as Waxman and Markey had hoped, but however long it takes, Congress needs to press forward with a plan to wean the nation from dirty energy.

The time for talk is over, and Congress owes it to our future to pass a better-balanced energy bill this year.

— The Dallas Morning News