It’s Friday, October 25, and the Senate is getting a climate team.
The U.S. Senate isn’t the first place you’d look to for action on climate change these days, but that may soon start to change. This is not a hoax: The upper chamber is getting its first ever bipartisan climate caucus.
The Senate Climate Solutions Caucus was introduced on Wednesday by Senator Mike Braun, a Republican from Indiana, and Senator Chris Coons, a Democrat from Delaware. The senators said they decided to launch the initiative after constituents in their respective states raised concerns about climate change. With an equal number of Republicans and Democrats, the caucus will focus on educating senators about climate science, discussing policy, and, ultimately (fingers crossed), find some common ground between the two parties that will lead to action.
The new caucus comes along as a similar initiative in the House, also called the Climate Solutions Caucus, is falling apart at the seams. The group has only had one meeting during this Congressional term, and its Republican co-chair, Representative Francis Rooney from Florida, recently announced he’s retiring — leaving the group off kilter.
Braun and Coons are still psyched about introducing their Senate caucus. And Senator Lisa Murkowski, a top energy panel Republican from Alaska, has already announced that she plans to join the group, an indication that the party’s leading conservatives are taking this thing seriously.
Onward, senators. Let’s see what ya got.
The Smog
Need-to-know basis
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