Caucus calls for passage of bipartisan climate bills and celebrates climate action in first session of 117th Congress
SALT LAKE CITY—On Earth Day, members of the bipartisan Senate Climate Solutions Caucus successfully found common ground by endorsing climate legislation that would promote nature-based solutions that support our farmers, forests, and oceans; make communities more resilient to disasters and climate impacts; and spur investment in renewables. The Caucus is chaired by Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Mike Braun (R-IN), and members include Senators Mitt Romney (R-UT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Angus King (I-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Susan Collins (R-ME), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), and Rob Portman (R-OH).
In the second session of the 117th Congress, the Caucus is endorsing:
- Senator Romney’s and Senator Bennet’s MATCH Act, which will expedite wildfire recovery while saving taxpayer dollars.
- Senator Braun’s and Senator Stabenow’s Growing Climate Solutions Act, which is cosponsored by all 14 members of the Caucus and passed the Senate 92 to 8 in 2021. The bill will help farmers, ranchers, and foresters participate in carbon markets and get paid for sustainable practices.
- Senator Portman’s and Senator Coons’ Tropical Forest and Coral Reef Conservation Reauthorization Act, which passed the House in 2021 and reauthorizes debt-for-nature swaps.
- Senator Rubio’s Restoring Resilient Reefs Act, which will help state and local governments, as well as non-governmental sponsors, revive our nation’s coral reefs.
- Senator Coons’ Financing Our Energy Future Act, which gives investors in clean energy projects access to a tax advantage that is currently available only to investors in fossil fuel-based projects.
- Senator Baldwin’s and Senator Rubio’s Built to Last Act, which will make communities more resilient to extreme weather by supporting climate-resilient infrastructure.
Additionally, a number of bills endorsed and led by members of the Climate Solutions Caucus were signed into law in 2021 as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, including:
- Senator Stabenow’s and Senator Portman’s REPLANT Act, which provides additional funding to the Reforestation Trust Fund to address replanting needs.
- Senator King’s Battery and Critical Mineral Recycling Act, which will coordinate the recycling and reuse of lithium-ion batteries and contribute to a more secure stream of critical minerals in the United States.
- Senator Shaheen’s and Senator Portman’s Smart Manufacturing Leadership Act, which will help small- and medium-sized American manufacturers adopt smart manufacturing technologies that reduce their energy use and costs.
For more information about the activities of the Climate Solutions Caucus, please visit the Caucus website here.