Energy and Environment

On Tuesday, Representative Earl Blumenauer introduced a resolution in the House calling for a climate emergency. The legislation itself is symbolic in nature but sets out a series of organizing principles for why climate change is an emergency and why Congress should treat it as such.

House Democrats are using the budget process to offer a clear contrast ahead of an election year between their embrace of aggressive action on climate change and the rollbacks of environmental regulation championed by Republicans when they controlled the chamber in the 115th Congress.

Many of the provisions they've included in the fiscal 2020 spending bills may not survive the GOP-led Senate, but Democrats are aware of national polls showing growing voter concern about the climate crisis.