House GOP group calls for action on climate change

A group of 17 House Republicans on Wednesday introduced a resolution calling for action on climate change, breaking with most of the party’s leadership.

The resolution acknowledges humans’ impact on the climate and commits to studying and addressing “the causes and effects of measured changes to our global and regional climates, including mitigation efforts and efforts to balance human activities that have been found to have an impact.”

It notes several existing climate change-related impacts on the U.S.’s environment and calls for “economically viable, and broadly supported private and public solutions.” The resolution doesn’t endorse any specific solutions.  

{mosads}Reps. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.) and Ryan Costello (R-Pa.) introduced the bill with 14 other Republicans on Wednesday, saying they hope Congress will work to address the threat of climate change in an “innovative” way. 

“Clean energy innovation is key to addressing the serious issue of climate change,” Stefanik said in a statement. “This resolution brings together the priority of addressing the risks of climate change with the importance of protecting and creating American jobs.”

Other members on the resolution include Reps. Mark Amodei (Nev.), Don Bacon (Neb.), Barbara Comstock (Va.), John Faso (N.Y.), Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.), John Katko (N.Y.), Mia Love (Utah), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Fla.), Frank LoBiondo (N.J.), Brian Mast (Fla.), Pat Meehan (Pa.), Tom Reed (N.Y.), David Reichert (Wash.) and Mark Sanford (S.C.).

The resolution is similar to one introduced last Congress by many of the same Republicans. That bill never received a floor vote in the House.