U.S. Republicans create new conservative climate caucus to focus on the environment
Climate change is a threat that impacts all Americans, but progressive politics aren’t the only answer.
In fact, there’s a wide variety of effective, common sense solutions that resonate with conservative values, and U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse. R-Sunnyside., has demonstrated important patriotic leadership on the climate issues that underpin our economy, national security, and way of life by joining forces with Republicans from across the country in the newly-formed Conservative Climate Caucus.
This bold new caucus, led by Utah Congressman John Curtis, is a vital step toward meaningful Republican action on climate change. Despite today’s polarized political landscape making environmental topics controversial, conservatives have a rich legacy of bipartisan environmental stewardship.
For example, Teddy Roosevelt is the father of our national parks. Richard Nixon created the EPA. Ronald Reagan promoted the Montreal Protocol. And George H.W. Bush signed critical amendments to the Clean Air Act. These statesmen were prudent leaders in the fight for a livable world of natural abundance, sustainability, and beauty, and it’s vital that Republicans wisely rediscover their deep conservation roots.
The recent flurry of climate-minded legislation, including the Great American Outdoors Act and Energy Act of 2020, is heartening proof of a new era of conservative climate leadership.
As a young conservative, I’m thankful for the caucus’ dedication to promoting the health and integrity of not only our planet but our political principles. Over the last few years, congressional Republicans have stepped up to propose legislation focusing on all facets of our climate, from agriculture and carbon storage to energy innovation and global commitments.
By championing cheap, clean, and effective efforts including nuclear power, emissions-reducing technologies, natural climate solutions, and conservation efforts, Republicans continue to build on their integral role in advancing environmental solutions that will benefit everyone. This is in direct contrast to empowering government to pick winners and losers; rather, it’s our representatives securing greater liberty, opportunity, and prosperity for all Americans.
Critically, conservative cornerstones, such as capitalism and the free market, are the most effective tools we have to achieve this progress. As the trailblazing American Conservation Coalition explains, it’s a false choice to say that economic and environmental strength are counterproductive objectives, or that clean and cheap energy are irreconcilable attributes.
In fact, conservatives are leading the way on advancing policies that wisely cultivate all of the above in a holistic approach to our nation’s climate challenges. The climate conversation urgently needs these principled voices, and the conservative communities they represent, to work together as one country to tackle this critical issue.
That’s why, as chair of the Western Caucus and a central Washingtonian farmer, Newhouse knows firsthand how important it is to preserve our nation’s natural beauty and productive capacity for our country’s future citizens. Newhouse has proven himself to be a strong leader on renewable energy, promoting robust central Washington energy alternatives like nuclear energy and hydropower.
This is even more important when considering the challenges of our district.
In an economy that is heavily dependent on a dynamic and sustainable agricultural sector, our region is vulnerable to rising temperatures, intensifying wildfires, worrisome droughts, and declining air quality.
Each of these worrisome factors are inextricably linked to climate change and the devastating impacts it foments, and simply grows the need for local, responsible environmental stewardship and energy innovation. Newhouse has shown both his inspiring conservation leadership and promising potential for greater capacity to advance our region’s economic, social, and environmental interests through climate action that aligns with our district’s core conservative values.
The Conservative Climate Caucus is a crucial signal to the world that Republicans are ready to lead our communities forward once again in innovating climate solutions for the common good,caring deeply about our shared natural heritage and hopeful future of boundless possibility.
As conservatives, we know that we’re always ready to roll up our sleeves to tackle big problems, and climate change is no different. It’s no longer a binary choice between alarmism and denial, socialism or unresponsive gridlock. There’s a path forward for pragmatic, common-sense solutions to the challenges we all face.