EDF Action Names Politicians Who Have Failed to Keep Commitments on Pollution & Climate Change

EDF Action today launched a campaign citing members of Congress who have claimed to want climate change solutions but have repeatedly opposed action to address the problem, and made no proposals of their own. The announcement kicks off a public education and media campaign urging members to take the kinds of real steps that Americans from both parties are demanding.

“It’s time for action, not just words,” said Joe Bonfiglio, President of EDF Action. “These Members of Congress say that they want to address climate change – which has been associated with increased wildfires, coastal damage, increased asthma attacks, and huge economic costs – but they’ve repeatedly failed to do anything about it.” In each case these Members of Congress have failed to support constructive solutions and voted for measures that are detrimental to climate progress.

The members represent districts across the country where families are attune to the dangers of climate change, often seeing the effects directly:

• Steve Knight, CA-25 (Los Angeles, CA)
• Mike Coffman, CO-6 (Denver, CO)
• Bruce Poliquin, ME-2 (Bangor, ME)
• Henry Cuellar, TX-28 (San Antonio, TX)
• Tom MacArthur, NJ-3 (Trenton, NJ)

The campaign follows a series of “Just Say No to Climate” votes, including votes against first ever limits on dangerous climate pollutants, votes to cut EPA funding, and votes against solutions to require polluters to pay for the costs they impose on society.  The campaign also arrives on the heels of the first Republican-introduced bill in almost 10 years that attempts to leverage market forces to reduce climate pollution.  The MARKET CHOICE Act, sponsored by Representatives Curbelo, Fitzpatrick and Rooney represents a commonsense solution to a tremendous problem facing all families and communities—the kind of solutions that these members have paid lip service to yet failed to act upon.

“These Members of Congress keep being given opportunities to show they’re serious about addressing pollution and climate change, and each time they say no. Their constituents deserve to know: what is their plan? ” added Bonfiglio.

Recent opinion surveys show that Americans are demanding action, not words:

• A 2018 survey by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication shows that a majority of Americans are worried about harm that climate change will do to their community, including extreme heat, droughts, flooding and water shortages.  
• A recent Gallup survey shows that 62 of Americans currently say the government is doing too little to protect the environment—the highest in 12 years.

“It is well past time for members of Congress to take action on climate change. Solutions are imperative and a failure to act will put the futures and the health of our children and grandchildren at risk,” said Bonfiglio.