Republicans Continue to Champion Realistic Climate, Forest Management Solutions

Statement

This week, President Trump signed an executive order to bolster our nation's role in the World Economic Forum's One Trillion Trees Initiative, which the president announced the U.S.'s participation in earlier this year. This new order creates an interagency council, led by the secretaries of Interior and Agriculture, to coordinate and promote U.S. work on tree growth and conservation, which have proven to help reduce CO2 emissions.

This order also aligns with the several climate and energy infrastructure solutions unveiled this Congress by House Republicans. Earlier this year, E&C GOP Leader Greg Walden (R-OR) joined Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy and colleagues in promoting several initiatives, including the Trillion Trees Act led by licensed forester Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR), to reduce carbon emissions, address climate change risks, and foster innovation and job growth. As Walden said, "Republicans got together with our leadership and we talked about what we were for and we're for innovation, conservation, adaptation, and preparation. We believe we have a solid record of leading on all of those fronts."

Last December, Walden also called out Democrats for not being serious about finding bipartisan solutions to address climate change risks, saying "there are bipartisan bills in Congress that we could pass right now to ensure the United States remains a global leader in emissions reduction, economic productivity, and clean energy production, all at once." E&C Republicans held an Energy and Innovation showcase to highlight their work and pointed out a few of the many bipartisan bills Democrats could pass into law in 2020. Included in the "12 in "20" are bills to ensure we promote a healthy environment -- and economy -- such as the USE IT Act to promote carbon capture technology; the Resilient Federal Forests Act to ensure smart forest management and reduce wildfire risks; the Advanced Nuclear Fuel Availability Act to ensure fuel availability for new carbon-free nuclear technologies; the New Source Review Permitting Improvement Act to help streamline the often burdensome permitting processes for infrastructure; and more.

E&C Republicans have continued to lead on responsible, practical energy innovation solutions. Earlier this year, E&C Republicans introduced several initiatives to modernize our energy infrastructure, strengthen U.S. energy security and independence, promote clean energy, and cut federal red tape. Additionally, E&C Republicans have led to ensure the U.S. utilizes carbon-free nuclear energy by streamlining permitting and creating a strategic uranium reserve. To help foster innovation and transition to cleaner forms of energy for future generations, we must update and modernize our infrastructure. While House Democrats have used their time in the majority to promote costly, partisan wish lists that will not become law, E&C Republicans are fighting to make these much-needed upgrades to our infrastructure possible.

Republicans want to reduce emissions, alleviate wildfire risks, support U.S. jobs, promote clean energy, ensure continued American energy security, and cut the federal red tape hindering progress; and we've proposed several bipartisan solutions to help us get there. Unfortunately, Speaker Pelosi and House Democratic leadership refuse to find common ground.

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