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.
On Monday, the President released his budget for Fiscal Year 2016. His budget proposal builds on the strength of our economic recovery to make smart investments that will increase our nation’s competitiveness, while ensuring that working families share in the benefits of the recovery.
Republicans have controlled both the House and the Senate for four weeks, and their record shows that they have focused on extreme, partisan legislation rather than taking action to help the middle class and all those who aspire to it.
Once again, Republicans are wasting the Congress’s time – and the American people’s time – on partisan messaging bills that would do little to create jobs or grow our economy.
In reaching this important agreement to combat climate change, the United States and China have committed to work together in an ambitious way to address the serious problem of carbon pollution.
In May, the White House released its third U.S. National Climate Assessment revealing the dangerous effects climate change is already having – and will continue to have – on regions across the nation.
On their last day of session before the November election, House Republicans brought to the Floor exactly the same kind of partisan messaging bills that they have wasted time on throughout the 113th Congress.
Yesterday, the Environmental Protection Agency, under President Obama’s Climate Action Plan, proposed a plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions from existing plants 30% below 2005 levels and reduce smog and soot pollutants by 25% by 2030.
Today’s announcement by EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy of new proposed regulations to curb carbon emissions at our nation’s power plants is a bold step at a time when the world is looking to the United States to take the lead against the dangerous effects of climate change.
Fired up? What we don’t want is our globe fired up. We want to be fired up so that it will not be fired up.
Earlier this month, the White House released the third U.S. National Climate Assessment revealing the dangerous effects climate change is already having – and will continue to have – on regions across the nation. From extreme weather and water shortages to rising food prices and seasonal allergies, the report serves as a call to action for Americans to work together to secure a more sustainable future.