To the editor,
I loved Jack Newworth's commentary, "Make America Rake Again" detailing some of Trump's more outrageous statements of the past couple of weeks. One positive item of news out of Washington this past week that has gone largely unnoticed, however, is the introduction of the most far reaching climate legislation in the past ten years.
On Tuesday, a bipartisan group of representatives introduced the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, legislation that incorporates the elements of the carbon fee and dividend proposal that our city council endorsed two years ago. This legislation, H.R. 7173, calls for rising a fee on carbon, revenue returned to households, and border carbon adjustments.
The bill is sponsored by Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL) Rep. Francis Rooney (R-FL), Rep. Charlie Crist (D-FL), Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Rep. John Delaney (D-MD). All are members of the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus in the House. Though the bill is not expected to pass in the lame duck session of the 115th Congress, the sponsors have planted a flag for revenue-neutral carbon pricing in the new Congress, when a change of leadership in the House is more likely to move such legislation forward.
This bill is an example of what can be accomplished when Democrats and Republicans are willing to work together and negotiate through their differences for the good of the nation and our planet.
Julie Engelman
Citizens Climate Lobby
