Senior Obama administration officials, including the president himself, took to the road this week to stump for national laws to combat global warming while promoting economic development.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu said the global economic opportunity for wind and solar energy $1.5 trillion-$2.1 trillion.In testimony before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Energy Secretary Steven Chu warned that "spending on green energy technology in China and several European nations" far exceeds that in this country, the New York Times reported.

The committee is considering a so-called cap-and-trade bill, introduced by Senators John Kerry of Massachusetts and Barbara Boxer of California.  It would limit allowable emissions associated with global warming and establish a trading system for emissions permits, as was done successfully decades ago under a Republican administration for gases that cause acid rain.

As part of the administration's efforts, President Obama visited the nation's largest solar power array, in Arcadia, Fla.  While there, he also talked about  the $3.4 billion in stimulus spending for transmission system upgrades to help move electricity to end-users from producers.

Vice President Biden, meanwhile, visited a plant in his home state of Delaware that will manufacture electric cars, and discussed the potential for an alternative energy economy to create new kinds of jobs.