Advanced Search
May 2, 2019
Climate change is already affecting us. Natural disasters have become more frequent and severe, habitats have been lost, crops have been destroyed by pests and diseases that are spreading to new latitudes, and communities have been displaced by ever rising sea levels. Faced with these realities, the 116th Congress (2019-2020) has shown an increased awareness of the need to address climate change and invest in resilient infrastructure.
On April 10, Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA) released The Climate Playbook, a list of climate change-related bills that have been introduced in the current Congress. In this vein, EESI has drawn up a list that includes many of the same bills, but adds a few others. EESI's list is not meant to be a comprehensive inventory of every climate-related bill introduced into Congress, but showcases bills that are most likely to become law or that are otherwise noteworthy. Even if they don't become law in this Congress, these bills are important steps forward in starting the conversation and creating a basis for what we can do as a nation to address climate change.
National Infrastructure Development Bank Act of 2019 (H.R. 658)
Introduced: Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT)
Co- Sponsors: 61 (61 Democrats)
If passed, this bill would establish and fund a public bank that uses both public and private dollars to rebuild the country’s infrastructure. This would include the nation’s roads, highways, bridges and telecommunications as well as environmental and energy projects. Infrastructure projects backed by the bank would be expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce surface and air traffic congestion, and increase access to public transportation systems. They could also expand renewable energy systems and better protect coastal and inland flood areas.
Climate Change National Security Strategy Act of 2019 (H.R.1201)
Introduced by Rep. Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA)
Co-Sponsors: 42 (42 Democrats)
If passed, this bill would ensure that the threats and impacts of climate change are taken into account by federal departments and agencies in the development of national security plans, policies and doctrines.
Coastal Communities Adaptation Act (H.R.1317)
Introduced by: Rep. Harley Rouda (D-CA)
Co-Sponsors: 23 (23 Democrats)
If passed, this bill would increase the resiliency of both the built and natural environment to better withstand natural disasters caused by climate change. This bill would encourage the use of natural features (dunes, reefs, and wetlands), nature-based features (beach nourishment, dune and wetland restoration, and living shoreline construction) and nonstructural measures (floodproofing of structures and elevated development). In addition, this bill would provide funds for the creation of shoreline conservation and management plans, restoration of wetlands, and prevention of coastal hazards related to climate change.
DISASTER Act (H.R.1984)
Introduced: Rep. Scott H. Peters (D-CA)
Co-Sponsors: 13 (9 Democrats, 4 Republicans)
If passed, this bill would require the Office of Management and Budget to submit annual reports regarding the amount of money the federal government spends on disasters. This would include disaster assistance, response, recovery, mitigation efforts and other administrative costs. By being informed of annual disaster-related costs, policymakers and the public would understand the true costs of extreme weather events and natural disasters caused by climate change, and would, it is hoped, encourage further mitigation and adaptation efforts.
STRONG Act (H.R.855)
Co-Sponsors: 7 (6 Democrats, 1 Republican)
This bill seeks to make the United States more resilient to extreme weather events and their effects while also minimizing the economic and social costs associated with such disasters. The bill would create a central agency that would combine the knowledge of local, state, and federal governments to help communities understand and adapt disaster planning and response techniques that have been used in other parts of the country. This would ensure that there are more coordinated and cohesive resilience plans throughout all levels of government to address and prepare for the effects of extreme weather events.
Sustainable Communities Act of 2019 (H.R.927)
Introduced by: Rep. Norma J. Torres (D-CA)
Co-Sponsors: 1 (1 Democrat)
If passed, this bill would require the Department of Transportation to provide grants that would increase transportation options, develop more affordable housing, and improve the livability of communities. To create more sustainable communities, the bill would discourage inefficient land use patterns and increase the capacity of state and local governments to improve land use.
Climate Action Now Act (H.R.9)
Introduced by: Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL), Chair, Select Committee on the Climate Crisis
Co-Sponsors: 184 (184 Democrats)
If passed, this bill would require the U.S. President to draft a plan for how the nation would achieve its greenhouse gas emission reduction goals under the Paris Climate Agreement (the United States has pledged to cut its emissions by 26-28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025). The bill would not require the United States to stay in the Climate Agreement past 2020, but would prohibit the use of federal funds for any such withdrawal (President Trump has announced his intention to leave the Agreement in November 2020).
A Resolution recognizing the duty of the Federal Government to create a Green New Deal (H.Res.109 / S.Res.59)
H.Res.109 introduced by: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY)
S.Res.59 introduced by: Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA)
House Co-Sponsors: 91 (91 Democrats)
Senate Co-Sponsors: 12 (11 Democrats, 1 Independent)
If passed, this non-binding resolution would address the causes, effects, and adaptation strategies of climate change. Not only would the bill address the immediate effects of climate change, but it would also encourage policymakers to look at social, industrial, and economic reform on a national scale as a means to achieve lower greenhouse gas emissions while improving overall quality of life. The bill would seek to meet all the country’s energy demands through renewable sources, work with the agricultural sector to eliminate pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, and overhaul transportation and infrastructure programs to make cities resilient and sustainable. In addition, the bill proposes looking at legislation that would ensure universal health care, job training and security, and education reform.
Clean and Efficient Cars Act of 2019 (H.R.978)
Introduced by: Rep. Doris O. Matsui (D-CA)
Co-Sponsors: 60 (60 Democrats)
If passed, this bill would reverse the Trump Administration’s rollback of fuel economy standards. It would re-establish the 2012 Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for light-duty vehicles (model years 2021 to 2025), which would double the fuel economy of passenger vehicles to about 54 miles per gallon. The EPA estimates that these efficiency gains would reduce oil consumption in the United States by 50 billion gallons and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 540 million metric tons from 2022 to 2025.
USE IT Act (H.R.1166)
Introduced by: Rep. Scott H. Peters (D-CA)
Co-Sponsors: 18 (12 Democrats, 6 Republicans)
If passed, this bill would create incentives for new technologies that advance direct air capture of carbon dioxide. Extracting excess carbon from the atmosphere would help curb climate change.
Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act of 2019 (H.R.763)
Introduced by: Rep. Theodore E. Deutch (D-FL)
Co-Sponsors: 16 (15 Democrats, 1 Republican)
If passed, this bill would place a rising fee on carbon-based fuels and products that emit greenhouse gases. This would include sources such as crude oil, natural gas and coal. Starting in 2019, the producers, transporters, and importers of these fuels would have to pay a carbon fee based on the fuel's greenhouse gas content. The fee would start at $15 per metric ton of CO2 and then rise by $10 every year. The fee would lower if there is substantial progress in meeting specific reduction targets. The revenue raised by the fee would be distributed back to U.S. households (after covering administrative fees).
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emission fees, provide tax credits to workers, deliver additional benefits to retired and disabled Americans, and for other purposes (S.1128)
Introduced by: Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
Co-Sponsors: 3 (3 Democrats)
If passed, this bill would place a monetary price on carbon pollution in order to lower the country’s greenhouse gas emissions while also generating revenue to boost the economy and aid American consumers. The price of carbon would start at $49 per metric tons and be adjusted for inflation. The goal would be to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the energy sector by 36 percent compared to 2005 levels by 2025. This would allow the United States to beat the carbon dioxide emissions reduction goal laid out in the Paris Climate Agreement. The tax would generate $2.1 trillion in the first decade, which would be used to reduce the top marginal corporate income tax rate from 35 percent to 29 percent, provide Social Security, veteran, and disability benefits, offer workers a $550 refundable tax credit to offset payroll taxes (adjusted for inflation), and provide $10 billion annually in grants to states to help low-income and rural household transition to new industries.
To require any bus purchased for use in public transportation with funds provided by the Federal Transit Administration to be a zero-emission bus, and for other purposes (H.R.2164)
Introduced by: Rep. Julia Brownley (D-CA)
Co-Sponsors: 0
If passed, this bill would require that all buses bought with federal funds produce zero emissions (starting on October 1, 2029). In addition, funding would also go to the Federal Transit Administration’s Transit Cooperative Research Program, to research and develop better bus technology and facilitate nationwide integration of clean buses.
Healthy Climate and Family Security Act of 2019 (H.R.1960)
Introduced by: Rep. Ronald S. Beyer Jr. (D-VA)
If passed, this bill would establish a cap and dividend program that would address carbon pollution and reduce carbon dioxide gradually. The program would cap emissions at 50 percent below 2005 levels by 2030 and then 80 percent below 2005 levels by 2050. The bill would require oil, coal and natural gas companies to buy carbon pollution permits; they could trade excess permits on the market. The revenues collected by the permits would go back to American citizens every quarter in the form of a Healthy Climate Dividend.
Streamlining Energy Efficiency for Schools Act of 2019 (H.R.762)
Introduced by: Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA)
Co-Sponsors: 26 (25 Democrats, 1 Republican)
If passed, this bill would promote the development of energy efficient projects in schools. The Energy Policy and Conservation Act would be amended so that state governments are fully informed about the programs and financing mechanisms available for energy efficiency initiatives.
Energy Efficient Government Technology Act (H.R.1420)
Introduced by: Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA)
Co-Sponsors: 4 (2 Democrats, 2 Republicans)
If passed, this bill would promote energy efficiency for information and computing technologies in the federal government (data centers, computers, and smart devices are very energy intensive). It would require the Office of Management and Budget Director, Secretary of Energy, and EPA Administrator to jointly implement a strategy to purchase and use energy-saving IT systems.
Blue Collar to Green Collar Jobs Development Act of 2019 (H.R.1315)
Introduced by: Rep. Bobby L. Rush (D-IL)
If passed, this bill would create an Energy Workforce Grant Program to expand U.S. employment opportunities in the renewable, clean energy sector (solar, wind, energy efficiency, clean vehicles, and energy storage). The program would specifically focus on creating jobs for minority workers and those in low-income areas. In addition, the grant program would also be used for developing education and training programs so that workers can obtain the skills and knowledge to work in the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors.
Author: Nicolette Santos
Top-Rated Climate Nonprofit – 4-Star Charity