In a promising development, 29 House Republicans and 29 House Democrats have come together to resurrect the bipartisan House Climate Solutions Caucus, according to a report by E&E News. The caucus aims to foster bipartisan collaboration and find common ground on initiatives related to green energy and climate change. This revitalized bipartisan group follows the earlier iteration of the Climate Solutions Caucus, which had 90 members but became inactive after the 2018 midterm elections.
E&E News reveals that notable Republicans joining the caucus include Representative Elise Stefanik of New York, who holds the position of Republican Conference Chair, as well as Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida and Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina. The previous version of the caucus was initially established in 2016 but became inactive in 2018 after some prominent Republican members lost their seats in that year’s elections.
The reinvigorated caucus intends to focus on examining potential solutions to streamline the permitting process, which often hampers the development of crucial energy infrastructure due to bureaucratic complexities. This move signals a proactive step towards addressing the challenges associated with energy development and finding practical pathways for progress.
By reviving the Climate Solutions Caucus, these lawmakers aim to bridge partisan divides and work together to tackle important environmental and energy-related issues in a bipartisan manner.
Prominent Republicans joining the caucus include Republican Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida and Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, according to E&E News. Legislators established a previous iteration of the caucus in 2016, but it was effectively defunct by 2018 after several of its prominent Republican members lost their seats in that year’s election cycle, according to E&E News.
The leaders of the caucus, Republican Rep. Andrew Garbarino of New York and Democratic Rep. Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, became well-acquainted while attending the 2021 United Nations COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow, Scotland, according to E&E News.
“Our goal is to engage in productive discussions on durable, consensus-driven climate and energy policies that would create good jobs and lower energy costs, while simultaneously reducing pollution and conserving clean air and water,” Garbarino said in a statement to the Daily Caller News Foundation. “Every day we waste cedes increasing ground to malign foreign actors like China and Russia, who would like nothing more than to see our energy sector compromised by indecision and inaction.”
“I look forward to working with Congresswoman Houlahan, our bipartisan colleagues in the House, industry, and other stakeholders to find workable solutions to address these important issues,” he added.
“Climate change is real. The Biden Admin is using it as a cudgel to hurt people,” Gaetz said in a statement to the Daily Caller News Foundation. “I’m a member of the caucus to advocate for free-market solutions. I also love trees.”
Gaetz voted in favor of Republican Texas Rep. Chip Roy’s National Defense Authorization Act amendment Friday to prohibit the Department of Defense from using any funds to implement President Biden’s executive orders relating to climate change, according to a spokesman from his office.
The offices of Stefanik and Mace did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s requests for comment.
