A group of House Republicans is about to launch what they are calling the Conservative Climate Caucus, the Washington Examiner reports.
The effort is being led by Rep. John Curtis (R-UT). So far, he has gotten the support of about 40 Republicans in the House.
What is it?
According to the Examiner, a summary provided by Curtis’s office states that the goal of the Conservative Climate Caucus will be to “educate House Republicans on climate policies and legislation consistent with conservative values.”
The Conservative Climate Cause of Curtis ought not to be confused with the Republican Roosevelt Conservative Caucus. These are two separate causes with two separate focuses.
The Examiner reports that, in the summary provided by Curtis, the members of the new Conservative Climate Caucus state that “the climate is changing” and that humans have been contributing to global warming through industrial activities.
Here, the Conservative Climate Caucus would seem to be in agreement with Democrats, who have been the leaders in pushing the climate change agenda. But, where Curtis’s group and the Democrats would differ is in their approach to solving the problem.
The Conservative Climate Caucus states that they will not be pushing the same sort of “radical progressive” climate policies as those being pushed by those on the left.
Rather, the group says that they will be pushing such ideas as the promotion of clean energy. The group, for example, is not against the use of fossil fuels, so long as “innovative technologies” are used throughout the process of capturing and using them.
Background
Curtis’s new caucus, in part, is designed to reach out to more voters.
As the New York Times reports, polls have been indicating for years that some voters, particularly young voters and suburban voters, are concerned about climate change. Curtis’s new caucus looks to address these concerns and, perhaps, as a result, bring more people to the Republican Party.
There is nothing anti-Conservative about wanting to take care of the environment. It is, after all, our basis for survival.
But, whether or not Curtis’s new caucus resonates with conservatives will come down to the approach that the group takes. Any policies supported by the group that carry the stench of something like the Democrats’ Green New Deal will only drive conservatives away.
The post GOP congressman announces Conservative Climate Caucus first appeared on Conservative Institute.
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