The Climate Crisis
Democrats strongly believe in our responsibility to address the climate crisis head-on and to serve as stewards of our environment and public lands for current and future generations. Democrats are working with President Biden to restore protections for our environment and natural resources, promote cleaner air and water, and ensure America is a leader in confronting the climate crisis. During the 117th Congress, House Democrats delivered a historic slate of legislation to address the climate crisis. These include the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law enacted in November 2021, a generational infrastructure package that is estimated to create nearly 1.5 million jobs annually throughout the next decade, turbocharge our clean energy economy, and take action on environmental justice and legacy pollution initiatives. The landmark Inflation Reduction Act is America’s single-largest investment in combatting the climate crisis and puts the U.S. on a path to roughly 40% emissions reduction by 2030. It includes historic investments in the clean energy economy that will lower energy costs, increase our energy security, and substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This legislation also promotes alternative energy and electric vehicle production. The CHIPS and Science Act, signed into law by President Biden in August 2022, invests in science and technology of the future, bolstering efforts to manufacture clean energy technology in the United States and providing access to training programs that will help to develop the STEM workforce of tomorrow. House Democrats also passed a number of bills that act to protect and conserve our planet, including the Wildfire Response and Drought Resiliency Act, the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, the Water Resources Development Act, and the Protecting America's Wilderness and Public Lands Act. In addition, House Democrats overturned a dangerous methane emissions rule put into place by the Trump Administration. We will continue to partner with the Biden Administration to combat catastrophic climate change and protect our natural resources for future generations.
“Tonight, President Obama reminded Congress and the nation that what makes America great is the spirit of service and hard work that manifests from realizing we are all bound together by a common cause. ...
As President Obama prepares to deliver his last State of the Union address, here’s a look at the progress we have made over the past seven years:
As we begin the new year and the Second Session of the 114th Congress, newly elected Speaker Paul Ryan has an opportunity to turn the page on the bitter partisanship of the past few years and show that he is willing to work across the aisle to get things done for the American people. The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday that “House Speaker Paul Ryan starting this month will push to turn the chamber into a platform for ambitious Republican policy ideas.” But evidence points to the contrary, with the first items on the House’s agenda for 2016 being the sixty-second vote to repeal or undermine the Affordable Care Act, the eleventh vote to attack women’s health, and several bills that would undermine consumer safety, workplace safety, and environmental protections. House Republican leaders know these bills will never become law, yet they continue to pander to the far right with political messaging bills instead of bringing substantive, bipartisan legislation to the Floor. It is also unfortunate that Speaker Ryan has already taken issues such as comprehensive immigration reform and an expansion of paid family and medical leave off of the table.
WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today after a final agreement was reached at the COP21 Paris Climate Summit:
Today’s announcement of the President’s Clean Power Plan represents an important step toward a cleaner and more sustainable future for America and the world.
I am disappointed that Republicans continue to pursue legislation that ignores the dangers of climate change and undermines our nation’s efforts to develop cleaner energy alternatives.
The encyclical released by Pope Francis today on the environment is a powerful call to planetary stewardship and a reminder of human consequences of pollution, climate change, and degradation of our natural resources.
This week, the House will vote on H.R. 1806, House Republicans’ partisan bill to reauthorize the America COMPETES Act. Unlike the original bill in 2007 and the reauthorization in 2010, which both passed with strong bipartisan support, the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015 was reported by the Science Committee on a party line basis and has no chance of being signed into law.
Once again, House Republicans are using the appropriations process to score political points and send a message to their base by advancing funding bills that continue the disastrous sequester policy and that include partisan policy riders that would be disastrous for our country.
Forty-five years ago, Senator Gaylord Nelson founded Earth Day as an opportunity to recommit ourselves to environmental responsibility and stewardship.