House Republican leadership details three-day climate event to counter Biden's Earth Day summit
Josh Siegel
WASHINGTON EXAMINER
4/13/2021
House Republicans plan to hold a three-day forum next week to present their ideas on addressing climate change and counter a climate summit event President Joe Biden is hosting on Earth Day with top greenhouse gas-emitting countries
House Republicans plan to hold a three-day forum next week to present their ideas on addressing climate change and counter a climate summit event President Joe Biden is hosting on Earth Day with top greenhouse gas-emitting countries
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The Washington Examiner reported on the House Republican plan as it was emerging last week, but it was provided additional exclusive details by a GOP leadership aide.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a Republican, conceived the plan to demonstrate that the GOP has its own agenda to address climate change but that the party disagrees with the aggressive path being charted by Biden and Democrats in Congress.
“It’s designed to give members a chance to present our ideas,” a GOP leadership aide familiar with the plan told the Washington Examiner. “We don't have one giant bill to address climate like the Biden administration’s top-down infrastructure plan because climate is a really diverse regional topic, and the way you will approach it will differ depending on your district.”
The GOP forum will be held virtually from April 19-21, just ahead of the April 22-23 Leaders’ Summit on Climate hosted by Biden, in which the administration is expected to unveil a new target under the Paris climate agreement to cut U.S. emissions by 2030, a move meant to build momentum for other countries to make similarly aggressive commitments.
House Republicans will roll out a counteragenda to promote clean energy innovation but won’t include a specific mandate or target to cut emissions. As many or more than 30 members from across the Republican ideological spectrum will participate in the House forum, including members from the conservative Freedom Caucus and centrist Tuesday Group, the GOP leadership aide said.
It will also include the top Republicans on various committees: Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of the Energy and Commerce Committee; Bruce Westerman of the Natural Resources Committee; Frank Lucas of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee; Sam Graves of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee; Glenn Thompson of the Agriculture Committee; and Garret Graves of the Select Committee on Climate Crisis.
Republicans are planning a couple of hours of coverage each of the three days (much of it prerecorded but some live content) to be broadcast on McCarthy’s website. Lawmakers will discuss their legislation and speak with business leaders and others who could benefit from their policies.
Of the 10 to 15 bills discussed each day, there will be measures promoting research and development of clean energy technologies, a new version of the “Trillion Trees Act,” critical minerals legislation, efforts to streamline permitting under the National Environmental Policy Act, and elements to support carbon capture projects and finance of pipelines to carry captured carbon dioxide to where it can be stored underground.
Another bill would require Biden to report to Congress before he submits a target to reduce emissions under the Paris Agreement and for the administration to provide evidence for why the goal is achievable and economically viable.
Biden has promised to announce an aggressive pledge before or at his climate summit for the United States to cut emissions by 50% or more by 2030.
House Republicans also plan to underscore their opposition to carbon pricing and other policies that “regulate and tax fossil fuels out of business,” the GOP aide said.
Biden does not include a carbon tax as part of his green infrastructure plan, but Republicans are looking to prove that the support of oil and business lobby groups for carbon pricing won’t persuade GOP lawmakers to move off their longtime opposition.
“It’s important we draw a clear line on a carbon tax,” the aide said. “There has been this a bit of question mark as to whether the industry stance changes how the conference thinks about this issue, and the answer to that is no.”
The Washington Examiner reported on the House Republican plan as it was emerging last week, but it was provided additional exclusive details by a GOP leadership aide.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a Republican, conceived the plan to demonstrate that the GOP has its own agenda to address climate change but that the party disagrees with the aggressive path being charted by Biden and Democrats in Congress.
“It’s designed to give members a chance to present our ideas,” a GOP leadership aide familiar with the plan told the Washington Examiner. “We don't have one giant bill to address climate like the Biden administration’s top-down infrastructure plan because climate is a really diverse regional topic, and the way you will approach it will differ depending on your district.”
The GOP forum will be held virtually from April 19-21, just ahead of the April 22-23 Leaders’ Summit on Climate hosted by Biden, in which the administration is expected to unveil a new target under the Paris climate agreement to cut U.S. emissions by 2030, a move meant to build momentum for other countries to make similarly aggressive commitments.
House Republicans will roll out a counteragenda to promote clean energy innovation but won’t include a specific mandate or target to cut emissions. As many or more than 30 members from across the Republican ideological spectrum will participate in the House forum, including members from the conservative Freedom Caucus and centrist Tuesday Group, the GOP leadership aide said.
It will also include the top Republicans on various committees: Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of the Energy and Commerce Committee; Bruce Westerman of the Natural Resources Committee; Frank Lucas of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee; Sam Graves of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee; Glenn Thompson of the Agriculture Committee; and Garret Graves of the Select Committee on Climate Crisis.
Republicans are planning a couple of hours of coverage each of the three days (much of it prerecorded but some live content) to be broadcast on McCarthy’s website. Lawmakers will discuss their legislation and speak with business leaders and others who could benefit from their policies.
Of the 10 to 15 bills discussed each day, there will be measures promoting research and development of clean energy technologies, a new version of the “Trillion Trees Act,” critical minerals legislation, efforts to streamline permitting under the National Environmental Policy Act, and elements to support carbon capture projects and finance of pipelines to carry captured carbon dioxide to where it can be stored underground.
Another bill would require Biden to report to Congress before he submits a target to reduce emissions under the Paris Agreement and for the administration to provide evidence for why the goal is achievable and economically viable.
Biden has promised to announce an aggressive pledge before or at his climate summit for the United States to cut emissions by 50% or more by 2030.
House Republicans also plan to underscore their opposition to carbon pricing and other policies that “regulate and tax fossil fuels out of business,” the GOP aide said.
Biden does not include a carbon tax as part of his green infrastructure plan, but Republicans are looking to prove that the support of oil and business lobby groups for carbon pricing won’t persuade GOP lawmakers to move off their longtime opposition.
“It’s important we draw a clear line on a carbon tax,” the aide said. “There has been this a bit of question mark as to whether the industry stance changes how the conference thinks about this issue, and the answer to that is no.”
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