Congressmen Ryan Costello (R-Chester), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks), and Pat Meehan (R-Delaware) have all signed onto a resolution to battle climate change with 14 other Republican Congressmen. Costello is one of three Republicans leading the effort.
Resolutions like this are statements of principle more than policy. Unlike bills, they do not change federal law.
The resolution calls for using “American ingenuity, innovation, and exceptionalism, to create and support economically viable, and broadly supported private and public solutions to study and address the causes and effects of measured changes to our global and regional climates.”
“We should leverage conservative principles to develop innovative, economically viable ways to achieve this goal, including through clean energy technologies. I hope to see the Republican Climate Resolution gain momentum and be part of the solutions we advance this Congress, Costello said in a release.
“We owe it to our kids and grandkids to ensure we leave to them a safe and sustainable planet,” Meehan said in a statement.
“The reality is, climate change is real and that humans are a contributing factor. Leaders on both sides of the aisle must take serious and reasonable steps to protect our planet,” Fitzpatrick said in a statement.
Fitzpatrick is a member of the Climate Solutions Caucus, a 13 member caucus whose stated purpose is to make climate change a bipartisan priority.
All three Congressmen have all been targeted by the DCCC for 2018 and may be positioning themselves to have a better relationship with environmental groups as they prepare for re-election.
Currently no Democrats who have signed onto the resolution.
The resolution was introduced by Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY.). The full text can be found here.
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7 Responses
Interesting CYA here for Republicans who may be vulnerable in 2018. The text of the resolution itself is barely worth reading except to note the exceptionally high fluff ratio. The Republican signatories are almost certain to use the same degree of “ingenuity, innovation, and exceptionalism” in whatever this rather vapid document lays out for action as they are to get re-elected. They are separate parts of the same effort, after all.
Note that no Democrats have signed it. They of course don’t have anything to worry about. Opposition by any and all Democrats to any corrective measures by the Trump administration against environmental extremism by Obama holdovers is a given.
BTW, Ruckelshaus is actually responsible for the deaths of tens of millions around the globe for his DDT ban while EPA administrator. Against all scientific evidence and the advice of his own advisors, he banned its use, which resulted in a worldwide upsurge of malaria and other diesease that continues today, all the result of a poorly-researched and deceptive popular book that caught his fancy. The dead hand of Rachel Carson continues to cause massive suffering from mosquity-borne diseases.
As a Republican appointee, in 1970 I had the pleasure of working for hard working, thoughtful Bill Ruckelshaus at the start of the Environmental Protection Agency, an agency established by a conservative President Nixon and supported by every Republican and Democratic president since, including our most conservative president Ronald Reagan. This support came because it was demanded by the American people, their representatives in Congress, and by the economy of the United States.
While every large-scale entity, especially government entities, need periodic review and change, it is the essential basis of Conservatism to conserve the good as we evolve as a society. A clean, healthy environment is an essential for America, and we should be setting the standard for the global economies. It is also essential for the United States to re-invigorate our Federalist system, but that does not mean erasing the Federal component and leaving the entire job to the states. After all, air and water do not know anything about the historic political borders of our states.
The new, learning Trump/Pence Administration will, I hope, take the time to examine the complexities of environmental regulation and proceed wisely, and sometimes slowly. It is the Conservative way. It is a big plus that three Pennsylvania Representatives understand the issues.
Climate change directly affects our coastal military bases. It’s been acknowledged as real by the Defense Department for years. It seems like it would be the perfect Republican issue to tie in with defense and veterans. But somehow, it’s a big deal that 17 Republicans have signed on to a non-binding resolution?
Bucky Delco, if they earn your vote with lip service, I’d consider your vote cheaply bought. Fitzpatrick, Costello, and Meehan have ABYSMAL voting records on climate change. I don’t know what’s worse – not believing in climate change, or believing in it and voting with the oil companies anyway! According to LCV, Meehan has voted on the right side of this issue only 3 times out of 34. Fitzpatrick? Only 5 times out of 34. Costello’s the baby of the bunch, with 2 out of 10.
Though it does not mean much, I give these men credit for not going down the crazy hole with so many of their colleagues. Any GOP who stands up to these people is in contention to earn my vote
Ooohh! A non-binding resolution! THAT’ll get her done. Just watch what these Weasels do when the EPA budget is cut in half – voting on the side of the Climate Deniers. What hypocrisy…
If they vote for the trump budget this resolution won’t be worth the paper it’s printed on. Good on them for telling their constituents the truth. Lets see action.