Congressional Action Needed to Minimize the Impact of President Trump’s Executive Orders on Climate Change

Without Congressional action focused on reducing fossil fuel consumption, we will soon be facing even more intense hurricanes and wildfires, sea level rise, mass extinction of species, the death of our oceans, resource wars, and millions of climate refugees.

Congressional Action Needed

I am hopeful that you see the urgency to act now to help mitigate climate change.

• Work across the aisle to enhance the strength of the voting block of legislators concerned about climate change and push forward bipartisan efforts like the improvement of our national electric grid that will both enhance overall delivery efficiency but also open the possibilities of renewable energy resources captured in one part of the country being utilized in another.
• Use your voice to let your constituents know what Trump has done through his executive orders to make your state, our country, and the world less protected from the impacts of climate change. Invite international world leaders supportive of addressing climate change to the U.S. for media events. When climate change deniers speak out, closely follow, reminding your state’s voters of the IRA and Infrastructure Law funding that is already going to your state as well as what is still possible.
• Protect the Congressionally approved renewable energy tax credit incentives within the Inflation Reduction Act. It is at the heart of what can make a significant impact in reducing climate change impacts in the US.
• Trump has ordered a “pause” on spending from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and a review of all grants, loans, and other payments associated with the IRA. Given that it is illegal for his (or any) administration to kill funding previously approved by Congress, ensure that his pause is not extended.
• While generic budget cuts are certain, work to protect R&D funding for renewable energy within our national labs and universities.
• Vote against any of Trump’s nominees who are climate change deniers or support the expansion of fossil fuels.
• Currently, there remains $8.8 billion from passed Congressional legislation that is geared to fund energy-efficient appliances, $3 billion for reducing air pollution at ports, and $9 billion for rural electricity providers to switch to cleaner energy. Work with the appliance industry, local ports in your state, and your state’s rural electricity co-ops to ensure that these funds are forthcoming.
• Work to ensure that, if the “External Revenue Service” does become a reality, the monies don’t go to tax breaks for the wealthy but to the U.S. industries that it is meant to protect – like solar.

Trump’s agenda will destroy our last shot at offsetting the worst-predicted outcomes from climate change.