Republicans and Democrats find common ground on climate change

Previously published in the Grand Junction Sentinel.

Last week, members of the House Climate Solutions Caucus introduced a bipartisan bill to clean up our nation’s energy.  The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act is the first bipartisan climate bill in a decade and this one has Republican cosponsors right out of the gate.

The bill’s introduction follows closely on the heels of a sobering Trump administration report confirming that climate change is a real and growing threat, caused primarily by our use of fossil fuels that emit heat-trapping greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere.

Economists believe that a revenue neutral fee-and-dividend policy that puts a price on carbon pollution and returns all net revenues to American families is the best way to accelerate our transition to cleaner energy.  It’s simple, comprehensive and effective, targeted to cut emissions by 40% within 12 years and 90% by 2050.

The policy was thoughtfully constructed to align with both conservative and progressive values.  Fees collected on carbon emissions are returned to Americans to spend as they see fit.  The government cannot keep the money, so the size of government will not grow.  Dividends are uniform for all Americans, so rich families and poor families of the same size receive the same size check.  Putting money directly into people’s pockets every month helps low and middle income Americans adjust to price changes, and creates an economic stimulus that boosts local businesses. The policy is projected to create 2.1 million additional jobs over the next ten years.

Businesses need certainty and laws that make sense.  The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act gives them both.  The fee is assessed as close to the source as possible (at the well, mine, or port), starts small and grows predictably each year.  A border adjustment ensures that importers pay their fair share and American exporters stay competitive.  It’s worth noting that our biggest trading partners already price carbon. The bill includes fine tuning to support the larger goal of keeping carbon in the ground, such as a rebate for carbon capture and storage and special provisions to support agriculture.

The majority of Americans, including a majority of Republican millennial voters, want Congress to take action on climate change.  So do I.  My children’s future will be determined by the actions our elected leaders take right now. Solving climate change is too urgent to get caught up in partisan politics.

Four of the original cosponsors are returning to Congress next year: Ted Deutch (D-FL), Francis Rooney (R-FL), Charlie Crist (D-FL) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA).  The fifth, John Delaney (D-MD), is running for President of the United States.  This bill will be part of the national conversation during the 116th Congress and through the 2020 presidential election.

Please ask Congressman Tipton to cosponsor HR 7173, and ask Senators Gardner and Bennet to sponsor a companion bill in the Senate.  The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act gives Colorado’s elected leaders a chance to take bold, bipartisan action toward solving the greatest challenge of our time.