Senator Schumer is moving to create a new committee focused on climate change. In related news, the Senate Energy Meeting finally held a meeting about climate change after a seven year lull. Also, McConnell is forcing a vote on the ‘Green New Deal’ in August as Republicans try to turn the discussion of climate change against Democrats running in 2020.
Senate Dems to introduce resolution to create climate change panel
Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday said that Democrats are introducing a resolution to create a Senate committee on climate change.
"We need a committee focused on this, to bring Democrats and Republicans together on an issue that demands progress. So I will introduce a resolution to create a new committee on climate. Democrats believe this is an issue of surpassing importance," Schumer said from the Senate floor.
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The resolution is unlikely to pass in the GOP-controlled Senate but comes as Democrats are trying to turn the tables on Republicans as the chamber is in the middle of a debate on climate change.
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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) lashed out at Democrats over the proposal on Wednesday, arguing it was an example of the party taking "a sharp and abrupt left turn toward socialism."
thehill.com/...
U.S. Senate Republicans hold rare climate hearing, and more might be coming
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Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, the top-ranking Democrat, added, “There’s no doubt that humans have made a tremendous impact on what we’re dealing with.”
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What Manchin said yesterday was the first time since 2012 the committee had held a hearing on climate change. (In response, a Republican aide pushed back with the argument that climate change is a frequent topic of discussion on the panel.)
Irrespective of the timeline, Manchin and Murkowski both represent states that lean heavily on the energy industry, and their simple acknowledgement of the climate crisis yesterday was enough to draw small applause from some corners.
“It is significant that we even had the hearing—particularly when you have two leaders on the committee, both of whom come from fossil fuel states,” Sen. Angus King (I-ME) said in an interview afterward. “There were some differences on the level of urgency, but I think the underlying premise is that this is something we have to deal with.”
www.sciencemag.org/...