Seventeen conservative Republican members of Congress—10 of them in their first or second terms—are bucking long-time party positions and the new occupant of the White House. They announced on Wednesday that they’re supporting a clear statement about the risks associated with climate change, as well as principles for how best to fight it.
Called the “Republican Climate Resolution” by supporters, the statement by House members takes about 450 words to mention conservative thought on environmentalism, support for climate science, feared impacts, and a call for economically viable policy. They pledge in general terms to support study and mitigation measures, “using our tradition of American ingenuity, innovation, and exceptionalism.”
It’s essentially the same thing that was introduced in September 2015 by then-Representative Chris Gibson of New York. What’s changed since then is that almost 200 nations agreed to work to bring climate change under control, America elected a Republican president—Donald Trump, who seems determined not to—and the challenge itself grows continuously worse.
With 17 co-sponsors, the resolution is oceans away from the number of votes it needs to pass the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. Fortunately, its likelihood of passage is not what makes it interesting.
These bills are interesting in the way that solar energy is, even though solar makes up 1 percent of U.S. power generation. Like solar power, Republican climate bills are noteworthy not because one is likely to pass anytime soon, but because massive external forces—markets, other governments, and climate change itself—may eventually force it into the foreground.
The resolution is spearheaded by three Republican members of Congress: Elise Stefanik of New York, Carlos Curbelo of Florida, and Ryan Costello of Pennsylvania.
The bill’s co-sponsors hail from parts of the country on the front lines of climate change; three represent southern Florida. Others comes from northern Nevada and central Utah, where mountain snowpack has declined in recent decades. And the district of Representative Mark Sanford, in eastern South Carolina, is seeing the rising sea level rise slowly eat away at its coastline.
“Our founding fathers set up a political system that was to be reason-based,” Sanford said on Tuesday. “They didn’t believe in ‘alternative facts.’”
Curbelo represents Monroe County, which includes the Florida Keys, and part of Miami-Dade County. A leader in shaping the new resolution, he’s also co-founder of the House Climate Solutions Caucus, a bipartisan group. The caucus, which has new members admitted in pairs, one Republican and one Democrat, was set up to explore climate policy. Eleven of its 13 Republican members are co-sponsors of the new resolution (six representatives are co-sponsors but do not belong to the caucus, according to a roster maintained by the nonprofit Citizens Climate Lobby).
Curbelo said in a conference call that the most critical participants in climate discussions—including major oil companies—are all “moving in the right direction.”
“Congress, specifically the House Republican Conference, has to catch up to all of them,” Curbelo said. “That’s what we’re trying to do here.”
The bill is this month's contribution to Washington’s constant climate background hum. It follows February's splashy carbon tax-and-rebate announcement, developed by a group called Climate Leadership Council and endorsed by three former Republican U.S. Treasury secretaries. That initiative, like today’s, is premised on the idea that, as CLC founder Ted Halstead, put it, “There is no issue in America today where there is a bigger gap between the GOP base and the GOP leadership.”
Sanford, who served as South Carolina’s governor from 2003 to 2011, suggested that the future of climate resolutions or policies is up to voters. “There’s been a level of energy that I’ve never seen before in my time in politics,” he said.
If that energy broadens beyond the dismantling of the Affordable Care Act, issues such as climate change might rise to greater prominence. In the meantime, Sanford said there’s enough science and enough resonant anecdotal evidence. “I think it’s dangerous,” he said.
Poster Comment:
This matches up well with the GOP presidential candidate John McCain's pledge in 2008 to do something about man made global warming, even if it doesn't exist.
It's one party, two wings... D&R.
2008 GOP presidential candidate, John McCain
#1: sneakypete To: hondo68 (#0)
Yeah,that climate change is some new stuff that needs to be addressed by laws,alright.
South Carolina was known as "The Low Country" in Colonial Times. For those of you who went to school recently,that was when there was no America. We were still a British colony.
Ya gotta wonder about air-conditioning,oil heat,car exhausts,jets,trains,etc,etc,etc were affecting the tides back then,huh?
sneakypete posted on 2017-03-17 16:34:15 Reply Private Reply
#2: paraclete To: hondo68 (#0)
paraclete posted on 2017-03-17 18:31:48 Reply Private Reply
#3: Hondo68 To: paraclete (#2)
President Trump is very fortunate to have experts like Al Gore and Ivanka Trump to advise him on this hot issue.
Hondo68 posted on 2017-03-17 18:58:12 Reply Private Reply
#4: Gatlin To: hondo68, paraclete (#3)
Bullshit….just another of your fake news innuendo LIE for which you were previously suspended for posting.
For updated factual information, read this ….
Gatlin posted on 2017-03-17 19:50:14 Reply Private Reply
#5: paraclete To: hondo68 (#3)
paraclete posted on 2017-03-17 20:45:59 Reply Private Reply
#6: Gatlin To: hondo68 (#0)
Wait a minute, let me get this straight. I am just a simple old country boy and I need to dig into the nitty gritty and look at the cold hard facts to understand things.
I just want to make sure I understand you …If I do understand you, then all I have to say to you….is that you are a fuckin’ IDIOT to have even posted this article in the first place.
Gatlin posted on 2017-03-17 22:45:28 Reply Private Reply
#7: Hondo68 To: Gatlin, Trump Gore meeting (#4)
You're lying. That's a picture of AlGore and Ivanka getting off the elevator at Trump Towers, after just meeting with Donald.
It's a virtual certainty that "climate change" was discussed.
Trump WAS advised by Al Gore, deal with it!
Hondo68 posted on 2017-03-17 23:02:50 Reply Private Reply
#8: Gatlin To: hondo68 (#7)
You said: “That's a picture of AlGore and Ivanka getting off the elevator at Trump Towers, after just meeting with Donald.” [Boldness Added].
I say: Nope! That’s a picture of Al Gore getting OFF the elevator at Trump Towers. Also to be seen in that picture is Ivanka Trump and group of people getting ON the elevator to go up at Trump Towers.
This is Al Gore continuing to walk away from the elevator, alone….while the others in the picture are waiting to go up.
This is the guy first seen with Al Gore….he is now heading into the elevator to go up.
Ivanka can be seen pressing the floor button on the elevator control panel to go up.
This is Al Gore continuing to walk further away from the elevator, alone….while the people can bee seen heading into the elevator to go up.
This is Al Gore still waving while everyone is in the elevator waiting for the doors to close and the elevator to go up.
This is a picture of Al Gore further away from the elevator and completely alone.
This is a picture of Al Gore completely alone after the elevator left and went up.
This is a picture of Al Gore leaving Trump Tower alone.
Now tell me WHY do you look at a picture and MAKE UP a story….or, why do you look at a picture and BELIEVE a story someone MADE UP for you?
I assure you that, Al Gore AND Ivanka Trump DID NOT meet TOGETHER with Donald Trump that day.
Ivanka greeted Al Gore while he was at Trump Tower.
But, AGAIN….Al Gore and Ivanka DID NOT meet TOGETHER with Donald Trump.
Post a link to show that … You go after TOO MANY ASSUMPTIONS … If….that is IF….he were, then Trump completely IGNORED any advise. Read the climate actions Trump has taken since that meeting!You really get things fucked up in your mind …
Gatlin posted on 2017-03-18 01:18:00 Reply Private Reply
#9: Hondo68 To: Gatlin (#8)
So Ivanks escorted AlGore down on the elevator, waves goodby, and goes back up. So what?
They guy with the Illuminati inverted triangle pin, looks like security and he goes up with Ivanka, after giving AlGore a boot in the ass towards the door.
The fact is that Al Gore met with Trump and advised him.
What do you think AL was doing there, picking up his Trump University diploma?
Hondo68 posted on 2017-03-18 01:28:32 Reply Private Reply
#10: Gatlin To: hondo68 (#9)
What do you think Al was doing there….warning Donald Trump that the climate change movement and global warning is “Unstoppable” and Trump better get his ass on board the movement right now?
Gatlin posted on 2017-03-18 01:38:53 Reply Private Reply