Senate Budget Committee hearing focuses on climate
Last week, the Senate Budget Committee held its first hearing of the new Congress. Their focus? Climate! The hearing explored climate-related economic risks and their impact on the federal budget and the global economy. “This was an important hearing because climate disasters, climate policy and inaction on climate all have significant impacts on the federal budget and it is important for Congress to acknowledge this fact. We appreciate the leadership of Chairman Whitehouse in making this the focus of the first hearing of the 118th Congress,” said CCL’s Vice President of Government Affairs, Ben Pendergrass. “Republicans and Democrats alike engaged on this issue in the hearing and we hope the committee will be a place for productive discourse on climate solutions.” Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), the committee’s Chairman, said, “If we don’t get this right, it’s a $180 trillion cost to the global economy. If we do get it right, it’s $40 trillion in added value.” Well-known Republicans chimed in as well, as seen in this highlights reel from the committee. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said, “Climate change is real, and is affecting quality of life on the planet over time. We all agree with that.” Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) highlighted his personal favorite solution: a carbon price. “Almost everything we talk about and get excited about has almost no real impact globally except a price on carbon, and of course, investments in new technology and innovation,” Sen. Romney said. You can let your member of Congress know that you think a price on carbon is important, too. Use our tool below to write to Congress about the importance of a carbon price.
In other news this week: • Financial incentives in the IRA: Tax credits and rebates for homeowners in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) will be key in achieving building electrification and efficiency. CCL Research Coordinator Dana Nuccitelli breaks down those incentives. • CCLers appear on climate podcast: CCL Research Coordinator Dana Nuccitelli and CCL Communications Specialist Steve Valk recently appeared on an episode of the podcast “A Climate Change.” • Bipartisanship key in solving climate: Former Republican Congressmen Ryan Costello and Francis Rooney published an op-ed in Politico last week, calling to make climate change a bipartisan priority. “As a divided Congress gets underway, the environmental movement must confront a fundamental, and perhaps uncomfortable, reality: The U.S. will not be able to successfully address climate change without bipartisanship,” the op-ed reads. • CCL Utah event discusses state climate initiatives: Recent CCL awareness campaigns about protecting the Great Salt Lake have spurred an influx of new volunteers to join CCL Utah. CCLer Tom Moyer discusses building relationships with new volunteers and state legislators alike. • Getting grasstops endorsements: CCLer Norma Morrison shares advice for volunteers hoping to get big endorsements from leaders and influencers. |
