E&E: Remember the Climate Solutions Caucus? It’s back.
Republicans frequently accuse Democrats of subscribing to the “cult” of “radical environmentalism,” while Democrats routinely slam Republicans for choosing “polluters over people." It’s in this political environment that 58 House members — 29 from each side — believe they can now come together to find bipartisan compromise around climate policy. It’s a lofty goal that has yet to be tested in the current Congress, and one that has been tried before, with mixed results.
But Reps. Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.) are bullish on their chances now to have success.
On Friday, they will relaunch the House Climate Solutions Caucus under new leadership, seeking to revitalize the group first established in 2016 that has largely languished since 2018.
“I’d like us to be active in discussions” on climate legislation, said Garbarino, who sat with Houlahan for a joint interview with E&E News on Thursday afternoon. “Whatever climate bill that’s going to come out and become law, it’s going to have Republicans and Democrats; I think we could actually do some really good legislation and get it passed.”
Houlahan agreed. “With very narrow majorities and minorities, there is the possibility for durable, lasting, sustainable solutions to things,” she said. “We just have to find our way to get there, and you have to figure out the people that you can work with, that want to work together, on things to make things happen.”
The two met as members of the caucus in earlier incarnations, and became better acquainted during a trip to the U.N. climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland.
Neither was specific Thursday on what sorts of bills or policies they want the caucus to consider, with Garbarino predicting the agenda will be “member driven.”
They will start, they said, by inserting themselves into the ongoing debate over how to fix the nation’s permitting process, where regulatory red tape is stalling critical energy projects around the country.
Garbarino and Houlahan said they are close to finalizing a letter to House Republican and Democratic leadership expressing the interest of the Climate Solutions Caucus to engage in discussions on how to move forward legislatively.
They also plan to engage with the Senate Bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus; the House lawmakers celebrated the impending relaunch of their caucus Wednesday at a reception with their Senate counterparts.
Yet it remains to be seen how much success Garbarino and Houlahan will have. Lawmakers are already gearing up for the 2024 election, in which Republicans are set on painting President Joe Biden as out of touch with Americans on energy issues, and Democrats could be disinclined to give Republicans any wins.
Still, former Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.), who created the caucus in 2016 alongside fellow Floridian and former Rep. Ted Deutch (D), said that in plenty of ways the timing might finally be right for such an undertaking to really thrive.
“When we started out, I’d say it was the absolute low point for any bipartisan collaboration, or even dialogue, on this issue,” Curbelo said. “We need Republicans who see opportunity in the clean energy transition to get in the game.”