Former Waxman-Markey Staffers Ana Unruh Cohen and Alison Cassady Hired to Staff Committee on Climate Crisis

Posted by Brad Johnson Tue, 26 Feb 2019 20:50:00 GMT

Experienced environmental lobbyists and former House colleagues Ana Unruh Cohen and Alison Cassady have been tapped by Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) to become the chief and deputy chief of staff respectively for the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. Unruh Cohen had been the deputy director of the committee’s predecessor, the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.

They previously worked directly together as staffers helping to craft the American Clean Energy and Security Act (H.R. 2454) for their bosses Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) and Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) from 2007 until the bill’s demise in 2009.

Dr. Unruh Cohen was a long-time staffer for Markey, moving with him to the U.S. Senate before becoming the top lobbyist for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC); Cassady was a long-time staffer for Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) before becoming the head of Energy and Environment Policy at the Center for American Progress—a role Unruh Cohen originated in 2004.

Unruh Cohen’s Hill experience also includes working as the deputy staff director of the Natural Resource Committee Democratic staff.

Unruh Cohen holds a bachelor’s in chemistry from Trinity University and received her PhD in earth sciences from Oxford University, where she was a Rhodes Scholar. She is based in NRDC’s Washington, D.C., office.

As the managing director of Energy and Environment Policy at the Center for American Progress, Cassady wrote reports on issues as varied as the social cost of carbon and the power of corporate polluter lobbyists. Cassady joined CAP after working as a senior professional staff member for Rep. Henry Waxman and the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee, where she focused on unconventional oil and gas development, climate change, air quality, and nuclear issues.

As a House staffer, Cassady led an investigation into hydraulic fracturing, uncovering the continued use of diesel fuel in hydraulic fracturing and writing a first-of-its-kind report on the chemical components of hydraulic fracturing fluids. Cassady developed additional expertise on offshore oil and gas development as a key member of the Energy and Commerce Committee team investigating the BP Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill in 2010.

She also served Rep. Waxman during his tenure as chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and helped investigate the events leading to the financial crisis in 2008. Before beginning her time in the House, Cassady was research director for Environment America and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group. She is a graduate of the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.

The Labor Network for Sustainability Outlines How to Make the Green New Deal Work

Posted by Brad Johnson Tue, 26 Feb 2019 16:43:00 GMT

The Labor Network for Sustainability has released “18 Strategies for a Green New Deal: How to Make a Climate Mobilization Work,” a paper intended to “stimulate discussion of the Green New Deal among labor, environmental, progressive, policy, and justice constituencies.” The paper, authored by LNS Research and Policy Director Jeremy Brecher, details 18 strategies for implementing the Green New Deal resolution’s broad goals, organized in three parts:

Part 1: Mobilize government
  • Establish Green New Deal mobilization agencies
  • Use regulatory powers to freeze, phase-out, and replace all fossil fuel infrastructure
  • Use government to plan the transition
  • Establish Green New Deal agencies for reorganizing economic sectors
  • Use government to reshape the market
  • Use the tools of macroeconomic policy
  • Use the powers of government to rectify past and present injustices
  • Protect low-income energy consumers
  • Empower community-led initiatives
  • Democratize democracy
Part 2: Mobilize labor
  • Leave no worker behind
  • Guarantee jobs for all
  • Ensure workers rights and good union jobs
Part 3: Mobilize money and material resources
  • Capture the benefits of the transition to fossil free energy
  • Make the polluters pay
  • Cut wasteful and unnecessary spending
  • Mobilize investment
  • Support and fund a Global Green New Deal

The mission of the Labor Network for Sustainability is to engage workers and communities in building a transition to a society that is ecologically sustainable and economically just.

Green New Deal Resolution Now Has 95 Co-Sponsors

Posted by Brad Johnson Thu, 14 Feb 2019 20:17:00 GMT

The Green New Deal resolution, H.Res. 109/S.Res. 59, picked up 18 more co-sponsors as of this Wednesday (with committee assignments):

  • Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA-14), Armed Services
  • Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA-15)
  • Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-19), House Administration Chair
  • Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-20), Agriculture, Ways & Means
  • Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-CA-32)
  • Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA-37)
  • Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA-38), Ways & Means
  • Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-CA-44), Energy & Commerce
  • Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL-07), Ways & Means
  • Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA-05), Appropriations
  • Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD-03), Energy & Commerce
  • Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD-07), Oversight & Reform Chair
  • Rep. William Lacy Clay (D-MO-04)
  • Rep. David Price (D-NC-04), Appropriations
  • Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY-03), Ways & Means
  • Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY-17), Appropriations Chair
  • Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA-03), Education & Labor Chair
  • Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA-09), Armed Services Chair

The updated list of co-sponsors is below.

Representatives

  • House Sponsor Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14)
  • Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ-03)
  • Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA-02)
  • Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA-05)
  • Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA-06)
  • Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA-11)
  • Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-13)
  • Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA-14)
  • Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA-15)
  • Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA-17)
  • Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA-18)
  • Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-19)
  • Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-20)
  • Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24)
  • Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA-27)
  • Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA-28)
  • Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-CA-32)
  • Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA-33)
  • Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA-34)
  • Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA-37)
  • Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA-38)
  • Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA-41)
  • Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA-43)
  • Rep. Nanette Barragan (D-CA-44)
  • Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-CA-47)
  • Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA-49)
  • Rep. Juan Vargas (D-CA-51)
  • Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO-02)
  • Rep. John Larson (D-CT-01)
  • Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT-02)
  • Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03)
  • Rep. Eleanor Holmes-Norton (D-DC-AL)
  • Rep. Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL-20)
  • Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-FL-26)
  • Rep. Chuy Garcia (D-IL-04)
  • Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL-05)
  • Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL-07)
  • Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09)
  • Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA-02)
  • Rep. Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)
  • Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-MA-04)
  • Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA-05)
  • Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA-06)
  • Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-07)
  • Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA-08)
  • Rep. Bill Keating (D-MA-09)
  • Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD-03)
  • Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD-07)
  • Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08)
  • Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01)
  • Rep. Andy Levin (D-MI-09)
  • Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-13)
  • Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN-04)
  • Rep. William Lacy Clay (D-MO-04)
  • Rep. Gregorio Sablan (D-MP-AL)
  • Rep. David Price (D-NC-04)
  • Rep. B. Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12)
  • Rep. Deb Haaland (D-NM-01)
  • Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY-03)
  • Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY-05)
  • Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY-06)
  • Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY-07)
  • Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY-09)
  • Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY-10)
  • Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY-12)
  • Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13)
  • Rep. Jose Serrano (D-NY-15)
  • Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY-16)
  • Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY-17)
  • Rep. Sean P Maloney (D-NY-18)
  • Rep. Brian Higgins (D-NY-26)
  • Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01)
  • Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR-03)
  • Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR-04)
  • Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA-02)
  • Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI-01)
  • Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN-09)
  • Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX-16)
  • Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20)
  • Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA-03)
  • Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA-11)
  • Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT-AL)
  • Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07)
  • Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA-09)
  • Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI-02)

Senators

Senate Sponsor Ed Markey, Democrat of Massachusetts
  • Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA)
  • Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT)
  • Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
  • Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI)
  • Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
  • Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
  • Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
  • Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ)
  • Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
  • Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
  • Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR)
  • Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT)

Green New Deal Resolution Picks Up Six More Co-Sponsors

Posted by Brad Johnson Sat, 09 Feb 2019 21:25:00 GMT

The Green New Deal resolution, now H.Res. 109/S.Res. 59, picked up six more co-sponsors on Saturday:
  • Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA-34)
  • Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO-02), member of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis
  • Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-MA-04)
  • Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY-07)
  • Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY-09)
  • Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI-01)

The updated list of co-sponsors is below.

Representatives

  • House Sponsor Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14)
  • Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ-03)
  • Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA-02)
  • Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA-05)
  • Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA-06)
  • Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA-11)
  • Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-13)
  • Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA-17)
  • Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA-18)
  • Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24)
  • Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA-27)
  • Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA-28)
  • Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA-33)
  • Jimmy Gomez (D-CA-34)
  • Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA-41)
  • Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA-43)
  • Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-CA-47)
  • Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA-49)
  • Rep. Juan Vargas (D-CA-51)
  • Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO-02)
  • Rep. John Larson (D-CT-01)
  • Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT-02)
  • Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03)
  • Rep. Eleanor Holmes-Norton (D-DC-AL)
  • Rep. Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL-20)
  • Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-FL-26)
  • Rep. Chuy Garcia (D-IL-04)
  • Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL-05)
  • Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09)
  • Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA-02)
  • Rep. Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)
  • Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-MA-04)
  • Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA-06)
  • Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-07)
  • Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA-08)
  • Rep. Bill Keating (D-MA-09)
  • Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08)
  • Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01)
  • Rep. Andy Levin (D-MI-09)
  • Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-13)
  • Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN-04)
  • Rep. Gregorio Sablan (D-MP-AL)
  • Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12)
  • Rep. Deb Haaland (D-NM-01)
  • Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY-05)
  • Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY-06)
  • Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY-07)
  • Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY-09)
  • Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY-10)
  • Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY-12)
  • Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13)
  • Rep. Jose Serrano (D-NY-15)
  • Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY-16)
  • Rep. Sean P Maloney (D-NY-18)
  • Rep. Brian Higgins (D-NY-26)
  • Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01)
  • Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR-03)
  • Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR-04)
  • Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA-02)
  • Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI-01)
  • Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN-09)
  • Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX-16)
  • Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20)
  • Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA-11)
  • Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT-AL)
  • Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07)
  • Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI-02)

Senators

Senate Sponsor Ed Markey, Democrat of Massachusetts
  • Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA)
  • Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT)
  • Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
  • Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI)
  • Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
  • Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
  • Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
  • Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ)
  • Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
  • Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
  • Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR)
  • Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT)

Green New Deal Resolution Launches With 61 Representatives, 13 Senators as Co-Sponsors

Posted by Brad Johnson Sat, 09 Feb 2019 06:45:00 GMT

Following Thursday’s announcement of the Green New Deal Ocasio-Markey resolution, supporters have announced several dozen co-sponsors, including 61 members of the House of Representatives (two non-voting) and 9 U.S. senators.

The list, from Justice Democrats, is below:

Representatives

  • House Sponsor Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14)
  • Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ-03)
  • Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA-02)
  • Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA-05)
  • Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA-06)
  • Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA-11)
  • Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-13)
  • Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA-17)
  • Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA-18)
  • Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24)
  • Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA-27)
  • Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA-28)
  • Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA-33)
  • Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA-41)
  • Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA-43)
  • Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-CA-47)
  • Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA-49)
  • Rep. Juan Vargas (D-CA-51)
  • Rep. John Larson (D-CT-01)
  • Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT-02)
  • Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03)
  • Rep. Eleanor Holmes-Norton (D-DC-AL)
  • Rep. Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL-20)
  • Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-FL-26)
  • Rep. Chuy Garcia (D-IL-04)
  • Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL-05)
  • Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09)
  • Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA-02)
  • Rep. Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)
  • Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA-06)
  • Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-07)
  • Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA-08)
  • Rep. Bill Keating (D-MA-09)
  • Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08)
  • Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01)
  • Rep. Andy Levin (D-MI-09)
  • Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-13)
  • Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN-04)
  • Rep. Gregorio Sablan (D-MP-AL)
  • Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12)
  • Rep. Deb Haaland (D-NM-01)
  • Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY-05)
  • Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY-06)
  • Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY-10)
  • Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY-12)
  • Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13)
  • Rep. Jose Serrano (D-NY-15)
  • Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY-16)
  • Rep. Sean P Maloney (D-NY-18)
  • Rep. Brian Higgins (D-NY-26)
  • Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01)
  • Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR-03)
  • Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR-04)
  • Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA-02)
  • Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN-09)
  • Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX-16)
  • Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20)
  • Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA-11)
  • Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT-AL)
  • Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07)
  • Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI-02)

Senators

Senate Sponsor Ed Markey, Democrat of Massachusetts
  • Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA)
  • Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT)
  • Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
  • Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI)
  • Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
  • Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
  • Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
  • Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ)
  • Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
  • Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
  • Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR)
  • Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT)

FULL TEXT: Rep. Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Markey Release Green New Deal Resolution

Posted by Brad Johnson Thu, 07 Feb 2019 20:11:00 GMT

In front of the U.S. Capitol building, Rep. Alexandrio Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) today announced the introduction of resolution “recognizing the duty of the Federal Government to create a Green New Deal” that builds a just, full-employment economy to stop global warming.

The resolution now has 64 original co-sponsors in the House and 9 in the Senate.

The full text of the resolution (PDF) is below:

116TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. RES. _
Recognizing the duty of the Federal Government to create a Green New Deal.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on _

RESOLUTION

Recognizing the duty of the Federal Government to create a Green New Deal.

Whereas the October 2018 report entitled ‘‘Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C’’ by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the November 2018 Fourth National Climate Assessment report found that—
  1. human activity is the dominant cause of observed climate change over the past century;
  2. a changing climate is causing sea levels to rise and an increase in wildfires, severe storms, droughts, and other extreme weather events that threaten human life, healthy communities, and critical infrastructure;
  3. global warming at or above 2 degrees Celsius beyond preindustrialized levels will cause—
    1. mass migration from the regions most affected by climate change;
    2. more than $500,000,000,000 in lost annual economic output in the United States by the year 2100;
    3. wildfires that, by 2050, will annually burn at least twice as much forest area in the western United States than was typically burned by wildfires in the years preceding 2019;
    4. a loss of more than 99 percent of all coral reefs on Earth;
    5. more than 350,000,000 more people to be exposed globally to deadly heat stress by 2050; and
    6. a risk of damage to $1,000,000,000,000 of public infrastructure and coastal real estate in the United States; and
  4. global temperatures must be kept below 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrialized levels to avoid the most severe impacts of a changing climate, which will require—
    1. global reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from human sources of 40 to 60 percent from 2010 levels by 2030; and
    2. net-zero emissions by 2050;
Whereas, because the United States has historically been responsible for a disproportionate amount of greenhouse gas emissions, having emitted 20 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions through 2014, and has a high technological capacity, the United States must take a leading role in reducing emissions through economic transformation; Whereas the United States is currently experiencing several related crises, with—
  1. life expectancy declining while basic needs, such as clean air, clean water, healthy food, and adequate health care, housing, transportation, and education, are inaccessible to a significant portion of the United States population;
  2. a 4-decade trend of economic stagnation, deindustrialization, and antilabor policies that has led to—
    1. hourly wages overall stagnating since the 1970s despite increased worker productivity;
    2. the third-worst level of socioeconomic mobility in the developed world before the Great Recession;
    3. the erosion of the earning and bargaining power of workers in the United States; and
    4. inadequate resources for public sector workers to confront the challenges of climate change at local, State, and Federal levels; and
  3. the greatest income inequality since the 1920s, with—
    1. the top 1 percent of earners accruing 91 percent of gains in the first few years of economic recovery after the Great Recession;
    2. a large racial wealth divide amounting to a difference of 20 times more wealth between the average White family and the average Black family; and
    3. a gender earnings gap that results in women earning approximately 80 percent as much as men, at the median;
Whereas climate change, pollution, and environmental destruction have exacerbated systemic racial, regional, social, environmental, and economic injustices (referred to in this preamble as ‘‘systemic injustices’’) by disproportionately affecting indigenous communities, communities of color, migrant communities, deindustrialized communities, depopulated rural communities, the poor, low-income workers, women, the elderly, the unhoused, people with disabilities, and youth (referred to in this preamble as ‘‘frontline and vulnerable communities’’); Whereas, climate change constitutes a direct threat to the national security of the United States—
  1. by impacting the economic, environmental, and social stability of countries and communities around the world; and
  2. by acting as a threat multiplier;
Whereas the Federal Government-led mobilizations during World War II and the New Deal created the greatest middle class that the United States has ever seen, but many members of frontline and vulnerable communities were excluded from many of the economic and societal benefits of those mobilizations; and Whereas the House of Representatives recognizes that a new national, social, industrial, and economic mobilization on a scale not seen since World War II and the New Deal is a historic opportunity—
  1. to create millions of good, high-wage jobs in the United States;
  2. to provide unprecedented levels of prosperity and economic security for all people of the United States; and
  3. to counteract systemic injustices:

Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that—
  1. it is the duty of the Federal Government to create a Green New Deal—
    1. to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions through a fair and just transition for all communities and workers;
    2. to create millions of good, high-wage jobs and ensure prosperity and economic security for all people of the United States;
    3. to invest in the infrastructure and industry of the United States to sustainably meet the challenges of the 21st century;
    4. to secure for all people of the United States for generations to come—
      1. clean air and water;
      2. climate and community resiliency;
      3. healthy food;
      4. access to nature; and
      5. a sustainable environment; and
    5. to promote justice and equity by stopping current, preventing future, and repairing historic oppression of indigenous communities, communities of color, migrant communities, deindustrialized communities, depopulated rural communities, the poor, low-income workers, women, the elderly, the unhoused, people with disabilities, and youth (referred to in this resolution as ‘‘frontline and vulnerable communities’’);
  2. the goals described in subparagraphs (A) through (E) of paragraph (1) (referred to in this resolution as the ‘‘Green New Deal goals’’) should be accomplished through a 10-year national mobilization (referred to in this resolution as the ‘‘Green New Deal mobilization’’) that will require the following goals and projects—
    1. building resiliency against climate change-related disasters, such as extreme weather, including by leveraging funding and providing investments for community-defined projects and strategies;
    2. repairing and upgrading the infrastructure in the United States, including—
      1. by eliminating pollution and greenhouse gas emissions as much as technologically feasible;
      2. by guaranteeing universal access to clean water;
      3. by reducing the risks posed by flooding and other climate impacts; and
      4. by ensuring that any infrastructure bill considered by Congress addresses climate change;
    3. meeting 100 percent of the power demand in the United States through clean, renewable, and zero-emission energy sources, including—
      1. by dramatically expanding and upgrading existing renewable power sources; and
      2. by deploying new capacity;
    4. building or upgrading to energy-efficient, distributed, and ‘‘smart’’ power grids, and working to ensure affordable access to electricity;
    5. upgrading all existing buildings in the United States and building new buildings to achieve maximal energy efficiency, water efficiency, safety, affordability, comfort, and durability, including through electrification;
    6. spurring massive growth in clean manufacturing in the United States and removing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from manufacturing and industry as much as is technologically feasible, including by expanding renewable energy manufacturing and investing in existing manufacturing and industry;
    7. working collaboratively with farmers and ranchers in the United States to eliminate pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector as much as is technologically feasible, including—
      1. by supporting family farming;
      2. by investing in sustainable farming and land use practices that increase soil health; and
      3. by building a more sustainable food system that ensures universal access to healthy food;
    8. overhauling transportation systems in the United States to eliminate pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector as much as is technologically feasible, including through investment in—
      1. zero-emission vehicle infrastructure and manufacturing;
      2. clean, affordable, and accessible public transportation; and
      3. high-speed rail;
    9. mitigating and managing the long-term adverse health, economic, and other effects of pollution and climate change, including by providing funding for community-defined projects and strategies;
    10. removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and reducing pollution, including by restoring natural ecosystems through proven low-tech solutions that increase soil carbon storage, such as preservation and afforestation;
    11. restoring and protecting threatened, endangered, and fragile ecosystems through locally appropriate and science-based projects that enhance biodiversity and support climate resiliency;
    12. cleaning up existing hazardous waste and abandoned sites to promote economic development and sustainability;
    13. identifying other emission and pollution sources and creating solutions to eliminate them; and
    14. promoting the international exchange of technology, expertise, products, funding, and services, with the aim of making the United States the international leader on climate action, and to help other countries achieve a Green New Deal;
  3. a Green New Deal must be developed through transparent and inclusive consultation, collaboration, and partnership with frontline and vulnerable communities, labor unions, worker cooperatives, civil society groups, academia, and businesses; and
  4. to achieve the Green New Deal goals and mobilization, a Green New Deal will require the following goals and projects—
    1. providing and leveraging, in a way that ensures that the public receives appropriate ownership stakes and returns on investment, adequate capital (including through community grants, public banks, and other public financing), technical expertise, supporting policies, and other forms of assistance to communities, organizations, Federal, State, and local government agencies, and businesses working on the Green New Deal mobilization;
    2. ensuring that the Federal Government takes into account the complete environmental and social costs and impacts of emissions through—
      1. existing laws;
      2. new policies and programs; and
      3. ensuring that frontline and vulnerable communities shall not be adversely affected;
    3. providing resources, training, and high-quality education, including higher education, to all people of the United States, with a focus on frontline and vulnerable communities, so those communities may be full and equal participants in the Green New Deal mobilization;
    4. making public investments in the research and development of new clean and renewable energy technologies and industries;
    5. directing investments to spur economic development, deepen and diversify industry in local and regional economies, and build wealth and community ownership, while prioritizing high-quality job creation and economic, social, and environmental benefits in frontline and vulnerable communities that may otherwise struggle with the transition away from greenhouse gas intensive industries;
    6. ensuring the use of democratic and participatory processes that are inclusive of and led by frontline and vulnerable communities and workers to plan, implement, and administer the Green New Deal mobilization at the local level;
    7. ensuring that the Green New Deal mobilization creates high-quality union jobs that pay prevailing wages, hires local workers, offers training and advancement opportunities, and guarantees wage and benefit parity for workers affected by the transition;
    8. guaranteeing a job with a family-sustaining wage, adequate family and medical leave, paid vacations, and retirement security to all people of the United States;
    9. strengthening and protecting the right of all workers to organize, unionize, and collectively bargain free of coercion, intimidation, and harassment;
    10. strengthening and enforcing labor, workplace health and safety, antidiscrimination, and wage and hour standards across all employers, industries, and sectors;
    11. enacting and enforcing trade rules, procurement standards, and border adjustments with strong labor and environmental protections—
      1. to stop the transfer of jobs and pollution overseas; and
      2. to grow domestic manufacturing in the United States;
    12. ensuring that public lands, waters, and oceans are protected and that eminent domain is not abused;
    13. obtaining the free, prior, and informed consent of indigenous people for all decisions that affect indigenous people and their traditional territories, honoring all treaties and agreements with indigenous people, and protecting and enforcing the sovereignty and land rights of indigenous people;
    14. ensuring a commercial environment where every businessperson is free from unfair competition and domination by domestic or international monopolies; and
    15. providing all people of the United States with—
      1. high-quality health care;
      2. affordable, safe, and adequate housing;
      3. economic security; and
      4. access to clean water, clean air, healthy and affordable food, and nature.

Democrats Announce Members of Select Committee on the Climate Crisis

Posted by Brad Johnson Thu, 07 Feb 2019 19:13:00 GMT

Rep. Kathy Castor (Fla.), chair of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, has announced the Democratic members: Reps. Ben Ray Luján (N.M.), Suzanne Bonamici (Ore.), Julia Brownley (Calif.), Sean Casten (Ill.), Jared Huffman (Calif.), Mike Levin (Calif.), Donald McEachin (Va.) and Joe Neguse (Colo.).

Luján is by far the biggest recipient among the committee of fossil-fuel dollars. He received $159,600 in campaign contributions from oil & gas, mining, chemical, electric utilities, and other energy interests in the last election cycle. Over his career, he has received $386,150 from oil & gas and electric utility companies and their employees. As Assistant Democratic Leader, he is now the number four Democrat in the House.