DEVELOPING CLEAN ENERGY TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CRISIS:

Voting 220 for and 185 against, the House on Sept. 23 approved a $135 billion, five-year package (HR 4447) of clean-energy measures designed to create jobs while reducing the impact of climate change on the U.S. and global economies. In part, bill would increase the number of electric vehicles on American roads; advance the development of wind, marine, solar and other clean energies; fund “blue collar to green collar” job-training programs; build infrastructure for transmitting clean energy to consumers; fund research into the health effects of wildfire smoke; raise energy-efficiency standards for homes, factories, schools and other buildings; fund “environmental justice” programs to reduce pollution in poor communities and phase out the use of hydrofluorocarbons, the coolants used in air conditioning and refrigeration. The bill was judged deficit-neutral by the Congressional Budget Office because its price tag would be offset by revenue increases and spending cuts elsewhere in the federal budget.

Jerry McNerney, D-Calif., said: “Climate change is accelerating and poses a growing threat to our economy and to our world. We must address climate change with the urgency that it demands, and that means we must all take action. [The bill] represents the type of strong, concrete steps that we must take to prevent the catastrophic impacts of climate change.” David McKinley, R-W.Va., called the bill “just another effort to gin up the liberal base and divide the House before the election….I thought we were here to find solutions for the environment, but apparently not. The majority is deliberately misleading the American public with this legislation. Have they no shame? Remember, this bill will not prevent wildfires, droughts or hurricanes.”

A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate.

ARKANSAS

Voting no: Bruce Westerman, R-4

TEXAS

Voting no: Louie Gohmert, R-1