Climate Solutions Caucus

Last updated
Climate
Solutions Caucus
Co-Chairs Andrew Garbarino (R)
Chrissy Houlahan (D)
FoundedFebruary 8, 2016;7 years ago (2016-02-08)
Ideology Centrism [1]
Political position Center [2]
Seats in the House Democratic Caucus
29 / 212
Seats in the House Republican Caucus
29 / 222
Seats in the House
64 / 434
Seats in the Senate Democratic Caucus
7 / 51
Seats in the Senate Republican Caucus
6 / 49
Seats in the Senate
13 / 100
Website
climatesolutionscaucus-garbarino.house.gov www.coons.senate.gov/climate-solutions-caucus/

The Climate Solutions Caucus is a bipartisan caucus of U.S. legislators supported by the Citizens' Climate Lobby whose members work to achieve action addressing the risks from climate change. The House of Representatives and Senate each have a caucus. [3] The House caucus was founded in February 2016, during the 114th Congress, by Representatives Carlos Curbelo (R-FL) and Ted Deutch (D-FL). [3] The Senate Caucus was founded in 2019 by Senators Mike Braun (R-IN) and Chris Coons (D-DE). [4]

Contents

On November 27, 2018, House caucus members Ted Deutch (D-FL), Francis Rooney (R-FL), Charlie Crist (D-FL), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and John Delaney (D-MD) introduced the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (HR 763), which would implement a national carbon fee and dividend. [5] It had also been introduced in the Senate in 2018 as S. 3791.

The 2018 midterm elections illustrated a growing partisan divide over climate, and one third of incumbent Republican members of the Caucus, including co-chair Curbelo, lost their seats. [6] One study concluded that this showed limited value for GOP members in pursuing bipartisan climate action. [7]

The House caucus went partially dormant after the 2018 elections, relaunching in 2023 with leaders Andrew Garbarino and Chrissy Houlahan. [6]

Mission

The House Caucus web site describes the Caucus as "working together to combat climate change while also protecting the economic prosperity of the United States. This is a group dedicated to building a constructive dialogue about climate change, economics, energy, and conservation among Members of Congress, global leaders, environmental organizations, and business leaders." [8]

House members, 116th Congress

Congressional Climate Solutions Caucus in the 118th United States Congress Congressional Climate Solutions Caucus in the 118th Congress.svg
Congressional Climate Solutions Caucus in the 118th United States Congress
Co-chair Francis Rooney Francis Rooney Official Congressional Photo.png
Co-chair Francis Rooney

Membership of the caucus is restricted to consist of equal representation of Republicans and Democrats. [9] After the 2018 United States House of Representatives elections for the 116th Congress this rule was loosened, [10] but strict balance was restored again in 2023 in the 118th Congress. [6] In the 116th Congress, the 65 members were as follows: [3]

Co-chair Ted Deutch Ted Deutch.jpg
Co-chair Ted Deutch
NamePartyDistrict
Ted Deutch (co-chair)Democratic Florida's 22nd congressional district
Francis Rooney (co-chair) Republican Florida's 19th congressional district
Adam Kinzinger Republican Illinois's 16th congressional district
Alan Lowenthal Democratic California's 47th congressional district
Amata Coleman Radewagen Republican American Samoa's at-large congressional district
Ami Bera Democratic California's 7th congressional district
Ann McLane Kuster Democratic New Hampshire's 2nd congressional district
Anna Eshoo Democratic California's 18th congressional district
Bill Posey Republican Florida's 8th congressional district
Bobby Scott Democratic Virginia's 3rd congressional district
Brendan Boyle Democratic Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district
Brett Guthrie Republican Kentucky's 2nd congressional district
Brian Fitzpatrick Republican Pennsylvania's 1st congressional district
Brian Mast Republican Florida's 18th congressional district
Charlie Crist Democratic Florida's 13th congressional district
Chris Collins Republican New York's 27th congressional district
Dan Lipinski Democratic Illinois's 3rd congressional district
David Cicilline Democratic Rhode Island's 1st congressional district
David Joyce Republican Ohio's 14th congressional district
David Schweikert Republican Arizona's 6th congressional district
Derek Kilmer Democratic Washington's 6th congressional district
Don Bacon Republican Nebraska's 2nd congressional district
Don Beyer Democratic Virginia's 8th congressional district
Earl Blumenauer Democratic Oregon's 3rd congressional district
Ed Perlmutter Democratic Colorado's 7th congressional district
Eleanor Holmes Norton Democratic District of Columbia's at-large congressional district
Eliot Engel Democratic New York's 16th congressional district
Elise Stefanik Republican New York's 21st congressional district
Fred Upton Republican Michigan's 6th congressional district
Jack Bergman Republican Michigan's 1st congressional district
Jan Schakowsky Democratic Illinois's 9th congressional district
Jenniffer González Republican Puerto Rico's at-large congressional district
Jerry McNerney Democratic California's 9th congressional district
Jim Himes Democratic Connecticut's 4th congressional district
Jimmy Panetta Democratic California's 20th congressional district
John B. Larson Democratic Connecticut's 1st congressional district
John Yarmuth Democratic Kentucky's 3rd congressional district
Josh Gottheimer Democratic New Jersey's 5th congressional district
Juan Vargas Democratic California's 51st congressional district
Judy Chu Democratic California's 27th congressional district
Lee Zeldin Republican New York's 1st congressional district
Marcy Kaptur Democratic Ohio's 9th congressional district
Mark Amodei Republican Nevada's 2nd congressional district
Matt Cartwright Democratic Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district
Matt Gaetz Republican Florida's 1st congressional district
Mike Doyle Democratic Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district
Mike Gallagher Republican Wisconsin's 8th congressional district
Mike Thompson Democratic California's 5th congressional district
Nydia Velázquez Democratic New York's 7th congressional district
Pete Aguilar Democratic California's 31st congressional district
Peter T. King Republican New York's 2nd congressional district
Peter Welch Democratic Vermont's at-large congressional district
Rob Woodall Republican Georgia's 7th congressional district
Rodney Davis Republican Illinois's 13th congressional district
Ron Kind Democratic Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district
Salud Carbajal Democratic California's 24th congressional district
Scott Peters Democratic California's 52nd congressional district
Seth Moulton Democratic Massachusetts's 6th congressional district
Stacey Plaskett Democratic United States Virgin Islands's at-large congressional district
Stephanie Murphy Democratic Florida's 7th congressional district
Stephen F. Lynch Democratic Massachusetts's 8th congressional district
Suzanne Bonamici Democratic Oregon's 1st congressional district
Thomas Suozzi Democratic New York's 3rd congressional district
Tom Reed Republican New York's 23rd congressional district
Denver Riggleman Republican Virginia's 5th congressional district

Senate members, 116th Congress

The Senate Climate Solutions Caucus was announced by Senators Mike Braun (R-IN) and Chris Coons (D-DE) on October 23, 2019. [11] The two Senators wrote in an op-ed announcing the caucus:

Today, we are launching the Senate Climate Solutions Caucus, a bipartisan group of senators who, like the Americans we serve, believe Congress should play a central role in guiding America's 21st century energy economy and addressing the challenge of a changing climate. Our caucus seeks to take the politics out of this important issue. Instead, members will commit to an honest dialogue, through which we can develop solutions that solidify American environmental leadership, promote American workers, and make meaningful progress on protecting our environment. [12]

Co-chair Mike Braun (R-IN) Mike Braun, Official Portrait, 116th Congress.jpg
Co-chair Mike Braun (R-IN)
Co-chair Chris Coons (D-DE) Chris Coons official Senate photo.png
Co-chair Chris Coons (D-DE)

The Climate Solutions Caucus in the Senate is bi-partisan, the rules of the caucus require that new members may only join with a member of the opposite party to ensure that the number of Democrats and Republicans stays the same. All actions by the caucus require unanimous agreement among the members. The caucus membership for the 116th Congress is as follows (independent Angus King (I-ME) caucuses with the Democrats):

NamePartyState
Mike Braun (co-chair) Republican Indiana
Chris Coons (co-chair)Democratic Delaware
Angus King Independent Maine
Debbie Stabenow Democratic Michigan
Jeanne Shaheen Democratic New Hampshire
Lindsey Graham Republican South Carolina
Lisa Murkowski Republican Alaska
Marco Rubio Republican Florida
Mitt Romney Republican Utah
Michael Bennet Democratic Colorado
Susan Collins Republican Maine
Tammy Baldwin Democratic Wisconsin
Rob Portman Republican Ohio
Jacky Rosen Democratic Nevada

See also

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References

  1. "The Energy 202: Bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus tries to find footing in new political reality". The Washington Post . June 21, 2018. Archived from the original on October 18, 2019. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  2. "These bipartisan bills provide hope for addressing climate change". The Gainesville Times . Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 "The Climate Solutions Caucus". Citizens' Climate Lobby. Retrieved 2019-12-11.
  4. Beitsch, Rebecca (2019-11-06). "Bipartisan Senate climate caucus grows by six members". The Hill . Retrieved 2019-12-11.
  5. "Bipartisan carbon fee bill introduced in House - Citizens' Climate Lobby". citizensclimatelobby.org. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  6. 1 2 3 Dumain, Emma (2023-07-14). "Remember the Climate Solutions Caucus? It's back". E&E News . Retrieved 2023-11-24.
  7. Karol, David (2019). Red, green, and blue: the partisan divide on environmental issues. Cambridge University Press. p. 74. ISBN   9781108716499.
  8. "Climate Solutions Caucus" . Retrieved 2023-11-24.
  9. "Climate Solutions Caucus". Office of Congressman Ted Deutch. Retrieved 2019-09-05.
  10. "CCL welcomes relaunch of the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus in the House". Citizens' Climate Lobby. 2019-06-20. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  11. "Senators launch bipartisan climate change initiative". NBC News . Retrieved 2020-01-04.
  12. Jordan, Chuck (2019-10-23). "New Senate caucus will seek bipartisan solutions to address the climate challenge". The Hill . Retrieved 2020-01-04.