Chair Grijalva: Republicans Need to Change Their Extremist Tone on Climate Change – Stunts and Theatrics are Destroying any Chance of Real Engagement

Washington, D.C. – Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today questioned House Republicans’ recent series of embarrassing gaffes and confusing statements on how to address climate change, saying that time is short for Republicans to engage meaningfully on climate solutions. At a press conference this morning Ranking Member Rob Bishop (R-Utah) said the Green New Deal resolution – which so far has no legislation attached to it – is “tantamount to genocide for rural people,” echoing extremist talking points used online and elsewhere.  

The source of Bishop’s claim was not clear.

Also today, 11 House Republican ranking members sent Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi a letter demanding hearings on the Green New Deal – an abrupt departure for Ranking Member Bishop, who signed the letter despite earlier, disingenuous claims that climate change is not in the Natural Resources Committee’s jurisdiction. Under Chair Grijalva’s leadership, the Committee held seven climate hearings in February alone on the phenomenon’s widespread impacts, all of which Committee Republicans have dismissed on specious jurisdictional grounds.

“It’s no longer enough to say Republicans aren’t taking climate change seriously,” Grijalva said today. “It’s clear they think this is all a joke. This is the furthest thing from a good-faith effort to work together on meaningful solutions. These stunts are getting more desperate and disconnected from reality. We’re going to keep holding climate change hearings in this Committee, whether they fall on days the Ranking Member demands we have them or the days he demands we stop. I’d urge everyone to avoid this kind of dangerous, extremist rhetoric and talk about finding solutions instead. The American people are counting on us.”

Press Contact

Adam Sarvana

(202) 225-6065 or (202) 578-6626 mobile

• Print
• Email
• Tweet