[House Report 116-708]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                                                 Union Calendar No. 592
116th Congress     }                                  {         Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session        }                                  {        116-708
_______________________________________________________________________

                                    


                        REPORT ON THE ACTIVITIES

                                 of the

                   SELECT COMMITTEE ON CLIMATE CRISIS

                               during the

                   ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTEENTH CONGRESS

                             FIRST SESSION

                    JANUARY 2, 2019-JANUARY 3, 2020

                             SECOND SESSION

                    JANUARY 3, 2020-JANUARY 3, 2021

                             together with

                            ADDITIONAL VIEWS
                            
                            

		[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
		
		


 December 31, 2020.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on 
            the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
            
            
				_______            
				
				
		     U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
				
42-827 			    WASHINGTON : 2020
				
				
				
            
            
                 SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE CLIMATE CRISIS
                          Committee Membership

                      KATHY CASTOR, Florida, Chair
BEN RAY LUJAN, New Mexico            GARRET GRAVES, Louisiana, 
SUZANNE BONAMICI, Oregon                 Ranking Member
JULIA BROWNLEY, California           MORGAN GRIFFITH, Virginia
JARED HUFFMAN, California            GARY PALMER, Alabama
A. DONALD McEACHIN, Virginia         BUDDY CARTER, Georgia
MIKE LEVIN, California               CAROL MILLER, West Virginia
SEAN CASTEN, Illinois                KELLY ARMSTRONG, North Dakota
JOE NEGUSE, Colorado
                            COMMITTEE STAFF
                        Majority Committee Staff

                    Ana Unruh Cohen, Staff Director
                          Dana Gansman, Clerk
                   Fatima Maria Ahmad, Senior Counsel
                    Samantha Medlock, Senior Counsel
                        Mackenzie Landa, Counsel
                 Melvin Felix, Communications Director
                  Jacob Hicks, Digital Press Assistant
                   Ebadullah Ebadi, Policy Assistant
                       Zachary Pritchard, Fellow
                 Alison Cassady, Deputy Staff Director*
            Javier Gamboa, Senior Professional Staff Member*
               Raleigh Martin, Professional Staff Member*
              Abigail Regitsky, Professional Staff Member*
                Aaron Huertas, Communications Director*
            Mariah Morrison, Digital Production Specialist*
                      Lara Hopkins, Shared Staff*

                        Minority Committee Staff

                       Marty Hall, Staff Director
                  George David Banks, Chief Strategist
                Michael Lehmann, Communications Director
                Marcie Smith, Professional Staff Member
           Adele Borne, Legislative Aide and Research Analyst
                    Margaret Ayrea, Shared Employee
                    Dustin Davidson, Shared Employee
                        Philip Rossetti, Fellow*

----------
*Staffer has departed Committee at time of transmittal of report.
                        
                        
                        LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL

                              ----------                              

                          House of Representatives,
                    Select Committee on the Climate Crisis,
                                 Washington, DC, December 31, 2020.
Hon. Cheryl L. Johnson,
Clerk, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
    Dear Ms. Johnson: Pursuant to clause 1(d) of Rule XI of the 
Rules of the House of Representatives, I hereby submit a Report 
on the Activities of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis 
for the 116th Congress.
    This report summarizes the specific activities of the 
Select Committee and encompasses the period of January 3, 2019 
through January 2, 2020. Also contained herein is a submission 
from the Democratic Majority Members which states ``Additional 
Views.''
            Sincerely,
                                              Kathy Castor,
                                                             Chair.
                                                             
                                                             
                                                             
                            C O N T E N T S

                              ----------                              
                                                                   Page
Committee Membership.............................................    II
Letter of Transmittal............................................     V
Committee Organization...........................................     1
Jurisdiction of the Select Committee.............................     1
Rules for the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis.............     2
Summary of Committee Activities..................................     8
Appendices:
 I. Printed Meetings and Hearings....................................23
II. Additional Views.................................................25





                                                 Union Calendar No. 592
116th Congress    }                                     {       Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session       }                                     {      116-708

======================================================================



 
  REPORT ON THE ACTIVITIES OF SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE CLIMATE CRISIS 
                             116TH CONGRESS

                                _______
                                

 December 31, 2020.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on 
            the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

     Ms. Castor, from the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                             together with

                            ADDITIONAL VIEWS

                         Committee Organization

    On March 28, 2019, the Select Committee met for an 
organizational meeting of the 116th Congress under the 
direction of Chair Kathy Castor. The Committee membership was 
15 Members with 9 Democrats and 6 Republicans. The Committee 
adopted the rules of the Committee for the 116th Congress.

                              Jurisdiction

    The jurisdiction of the Select Committee on the Climate 
Crisis, as prescribed by Clause 104(f) of rule XI of the Rules 
of the House of Representatives, is as follows:
    (A) Legislative Jurisdiction--The Select Committee shall 
not have legislative jurisdiction and shall have no authority 
to take legislative action on any bill or resolution.
    (B) Investigative Jurisdiction--The sole authority of the 
Select Committee shall be to investigate, study, make findings, 
and develop recommendations on policies, strategies, and 
innovations to achieve substantial and permanent reductions in 
pollution and other activities that contribute to the climate 
crisis which will honor our responsibility to be good stewards 
of the planet for future generations. The Select Committee may, 
at its discretion, hold public hearings in connection with any 
aspect of its investigative functions.

                                 Rules


                        (Adopted March 28, 2019)


                       RULE 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

    (a) The provisions of section 104(f) of H. Res. 6 (116th 
Congress) governing the proceedings of the Select Committee on 
the Climate Crisis (hereinafter referred to as the 
``Committee'') are hereby incorporated by reference and nothing 
herein shall be construed as superseding any provision of that 
section. The Rules of the House of Representatives shall apply 
to the Committee to the extent that they are not inconsistent 
with that title.
    (b) The rules of the Committee shall be made publicly 
available in electronic form and published in the Congressional 
Record not later than 30 days after the Committee adopts its 
rules.

                            RULE 2. MEETINGS

    (a) In General.--
    (1) The regular meeting date of the Committee shall be the 
first Tuesday of every month when the House is in session in 
accordance with clause 2(b) of rule XI of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives. If the House is not in session on the 
first Tuesday of a month, the regular meeting date shall be the 
third Tuesday of that month. A regular meeting of the Committee 
may be dispensed with if, in the judgment of the Chair of the 
Committee, there is no need for the meeting.
    (2) Additional meetings may be called by the Chair of the 
Committee as the Chair considers necessary, in accordance with 
clause 2(g)(3) of rule XI of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives.
    (b) Meetings of the Committee shall be called to order and 
presided over by the Chair or, in the Chair's absence, by a 
member designated by the Chair to carry out such duties.
    (c) Notification.--
    (1) Pursuant to clause 2(g)(3) of rule XI of the Rules of 
the House, the Chair shall make a public announcement of the 
date, place, and subject matter of a Committee meeting (other 
than a hearing), which may not commence earlier than the third 
calendar day (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, or legal holidays 
except when the House is in session on such a day) on which 
members have notice thereof.
    (2) The agenda for each Committee meeting, setting out all 
items of business to be considered, shall be established by the 
Chair and provided to each member of the Committee at least 36 
hours (exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays 
except when the House is in session on such days) in advance of 
the commencement of such meeting.
    (d) The requirements of paragraph (c) may be waived by a 
majority vote of those present, a quorum being present, or by 
the Chair with the concurrence of the Ranking Member. If the 
requirements of paragraph (c) are waived, the Chair shall 
notify the members of the Committee at the earliest possible 
time.

                            RULE 3. HEARINGS

    (a) Announcement of Hearings.--
    (1) Pursuant to clause 2(g)(3) of rule XI of the Rules of 
the House, the Chair shall announce the date, time, place, and 
subject matter of any hearing of the Committee, which may not 
commence earlier than one week after such notice.
    (2) A hearing may commence sooner than specified in (a)(1) 
if the Chair, with the concurrence of the Ranking Member, 
determines there is good cause or the Committee so determines 
by majority vote, a quorum being present. The Chair shall 
announce the hearing at the earliest possible time.
    (b) Written Witness Statement; Oral Testimony.--
    (1) Filing of Statement.--To the greatest extent 
practicable, each witness who is to appear before the Committee 
shall file with the clerk of the Committee a written statement 
of his or her proposed testimony at least two business days in 
advance of his or her appearance. The clerk of the Committee 
shall distribute this testimony to the Members of the Committee 
as soon as is practicable and at least one business day before 
the hearing. The requirements of this subparagraph may be 
waived or modified by the Chair after consultation with the 
Ranking Member.
    (2) Each witness shall limit his or her oral presentation 
of testimony to no more than five minutes.
    (3) Truth in Testimony.--Each witness appearing in a 
nongovernmental capacity shall include with the written 
statement of his or her proposed testimony a curriculum vitae 
and a disclosure of any Federal grants or contracts or foreign 
government contracts and payments related to the subject matter 
of the hearing received during the current calendar year or 
either of the two preceding calendar years by the witness or by 
an entity represented by the witness. The disclosure shall 
include (A) the amount and source of each Federal grant (or 
subgrant thereof) or contract (or subcontract thereof) related 
to the subject matter of the hearing; and (B) the amount and 
country of origin of any payment or contract related to the 
subject matter of the hearing originating with a foreign 
government.
    (4) Availability of Information.--Statements filed under 
this paragraph shall be made publicly available in electronic 
form not later than one day after the witness appears.
    (c) Notification of Subject Matter.--As soon as practicable 
but no later than 36 hours before the commencement of a 
hearing, the Chair shall make available to the public and all 
Members of the Committee a concise summary of the subject 
matter under consideration at the hearing, any relevant reports 
from departments or agencies on such matters, and a list of 
witnesses, including minority witnesses.
    (d) Minority Witnesses.--When any hearing is conducted by 
the Committee on any measure or matter, the minority party 
members on the Committee shall be entitled, upon request to the 
Chair by a majority of those members, to call at least one 
witness, as selected by the minority members, to testify with 
respect to that measure or matter along with witnesses selected 
by the Chair.
    (e) Opening Statements.--
    (1) Chair and Ranking Member.--At any hearing of the 
Committee, the Chair and Ranking Member shall each control five 
minutes for opening statements. The Chair and Ranking Member 
may recognize other members within their respective five 
minutes.
    (2) Other Members.--The Chair may allow other members of 
the Committee to deliver oral opening statements, as 
appropriate, with the concurrence of the Ranking Member. Such 
statements shall not exceed five minutes in length and are to 
be equally distributed between majority and minority members to 
the extent practicable given the party makeup of the members 
present. Members not recognized by the Chair for oral opening 
statements may submit written opening statements for the 
record.
    (f) Questioning of Witnesses.--The Chair shall initiate the 
right to question witnesses before the Committee, followed by 
the Ranking Member and all other members thereafter.
    (1) Order of Member Recognition.--The right to question the 
witnesses before the Committee shall alternate between majority 
and minority members. A member of the Committee may question a 
witness only when recognized by the Chair for that purpose. The 
Chair shall recognize in order of appearance members who were 
not present when the meeting was called to order after all 
members who were present when the meeting was called to order 
have been recognized in the order of seniority on the 
Committee.
    (2) Procedures for Questioning of Witnesses by Members.--
Each member shall be limited to 5 minutes in the questioning of 
witnesses and shall limit his or her remarks to the subject 
matter of the hearing. After consultation with the Ranking 
Member, the Chair may recognize members who have already had an 
opportunity to question the witness for a second period of 5 
minutes once each member of the Committee present has been 
recognized once for that purpose.
    (3) Extended Questioning of Witnesses by Members.--
Following the questioning of witnesses described in (f)(2) 
above, the Chair, with the concurrence of the Ranking Member or 
the Committee by motion, may permit a specified number of 
members to question one or more witnesses for a specified 
period of time not to exceed 60 minutes in the aggregate, 
equally divided between and controlled by the Chair and the 
Ranking Member.
    (4) Questions for the Record.--Each member may submit to 
the Chair additional questions for the record to be answered by 
the witnesses who have appeared. Each member shall provide a 
copy of the questions in an electronic format to the Committee 
no later than 10 business days following a hearing. The Chair 
shall transmit all questions received from members of the 
Committee to the appropriate witnesses and include the 
transmittal letter and the responses from the witnesses in the 
hearing record. After consultation with the Ranking Member, the 
Chair is authorized to close the hearing record no earlier than 
15 business days from the date the questions were transmitted 
to the appropriate witnesses.
    (g) Hearings of the Committee shall be called to order and 
presided over by the Chair or, in the Chair's absence, by a 
member designated by the Chair to carry out such duties.
    (h) Oaths.--The Chair of the Committee, or a member 
designated by the Chair, may administer oaths to any witness 
before the Committee. The Chair or his or her designee may 
administer the following oath to all witnesses prior to 
receiving testimony: ``Do you solemnly swear or affirm, under 
penalty of law, that the testimony you are about to give is the 
truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you 
God?''
    (i) Claims of Privilege.--Claims of common-law privilege 
made by witnesses in hearings, or by interviewees in 
investigations or inquiries, are applicable only at the 
discretion of the Chair, subject to appeal to the Committee.

                        RULE 4. OPEN PROCEEDINGS

    (a) Meetings for the transaction of business and hearings 
of the Committee shall be open to the public, including radio, 
television, and still photography coverage, unless closed in 
accordance with clause 2(g) of rule XI of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives.
    (b) The audio and video coverage of Committee proceeding 
permitted under clause 4 of rule XI of the Rules of the House 
of Representatives shall apply to the Committee.

                            RULE 5. REPORTS

    (a) Approval of Official Committee Reports.--Any report 
completed pursuant to section 104(f)(5) of H. Res. 6 (116th 
Congress) that purports to express the views, findings, 
conclusions, or recommendations of the Committee must be 
approved by a majority vote of the Committee at a meeting at 
which a quorum is present, in accordance with Committee Rule 
7(a)(3). The total number of votes cast for and against, and 
the names of those voting for and against, shall be included in 
the Committee report on the matter.
    (b) Notice of Committee Reports.--Any report described in 
(a) shall not be considered in the Committee unless the 
proposed report has been available to the members of the 
Committee for at least three business days before consideration 
of such report in the Committee.
    (c) Additional Views.--If, at the time of approval of a 
report, a member of the Committee gives notice of intent to 
file supplemental, minority, additional, or dissenting views 
for inclusion in the report, all members of the Committee shall 
be entitled to no less than two business days after such notice 
to file such views following clause 2(l) of rule XI and clause 
3(a)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House.
    (d) Availability of Publications.--Pursuant to clause 
2(e)(4) of rule XI of the Rules of the House, the Committee 
shall make its publications available in electronic form to the 
maximum extent feasible. Pursuant to sections 104(f)(5) and 
104(f)(6) of H. Res. 6 (116th Congress), the Committee shall 
make its publications available to the general public in widely 
accessible formats not later than 30 calendar days following 
the respective dates for completion.

                       RULE 6. COMMITTEE RECORDS

    (a) Availability.--Documents reflecting the proceedings of 
the Committee shall be made publicly available in electronic 
form on the Committee's website and in the Committee office for 
inspection by the public, as provided in clause 2(e) of rule XI 
of the Rules of the House of Representatives, within 48 hours 
of such recorded vote after each meeting has adjourned, 
including a record showing those present at each meeting; and a 
record of the vote on any question on which a recorded vote is 
demanded, including a description of the motion, order, or 
other proposition, the name of each member voting for and each 
member voting against such motion, order, or proposition, and 
the names of those members of the Committee present but not 
voting.
    (b) Archived Records.--The records of the Committee 
deposited at the National Archives shall be made available for 
public use in accordance with rule VII of the Rules of the 
House. The Chair shall notify the Ranking Member of any 
decision, pursuant to clause 3(b)(3) or clause 4(b) of such 
rule, to withhold a record otherwise available. Upon written 
request of any member of the Committee, the Chair shall present 
the matter to the Committee for a determination, which shall be 
subject to the same requirements for conduct of Committee 
business under Committee Rule 2.

       RULE 7. QUORUMS AND RECORDED VOTES; POSTPONEMENT OF VOTES

    (a) Establishment of a Quorum.--
    (1) For the purpose of taking testimony and receiving 
evidence, no fewer than two members of the Committee shall 
constitute a quorum.
    (2) A majority of the members of the Committee shall 
constitute a quorum for those actions for which the Rules of 
the House of Representatives require a majority quorum.
    (3) A majority of the members of the Committee shall 
constitute a quorum for issuing an official Committee report 
pursuant to Rule 5 of the Committee rules and section 104(f)(5) 
of H. Res. 6 (116th Congress).
    (4) For the purposes of taking any other action, one-third 
of the members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.
    (b) Recorded Votes.--A recorded vote may be demanded by 
one-fifth of the members present.
    (c) Postponement of Votes.--Pursuant to clause 2(h)(4) of 
the Rules of the House, the Chair, after consultation with the 
Ranking Member, may postpone further proceedings when a 
recorded vote is ordered on the question of approving any 
measure or matter or adopting an amendment and may resume 
proceedings on a postponed vote at any time after reasonable 
notice to Members by the Clerk or other designee of the Chair. 
When proceedings resume on a postponed question, 
notwithstanding any intervening order for the previous 
question, an underlying proposition shall remain subject to 
further debate or amendment to the same extent as when the 
question was postponed.

                        RULE 8. COMMITTEE STAFF

    (a) Professional and other staff of the Committee are 
subject to the provisions of clause 9 of rule X of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives.
    (b) Majority Staff.--The Chair shall appoint and determine 
the remuneration of, and may remove, the employees of the 
Committee not assigned to the minority. The staff of the 
Committee not assigned to the minority shall be under the 
general supervision and direction of the Chair, who shall 
establish and assign the duties and responsibilities of such 
staff members and delegate such authority as he or she 
determines appropriate.
    (c) Minority Staff.--The Ranking Member shall appoint and 
determine the remuneration of, and may remove, the staff 
assigned to the minority within the budget approved for such 
purposes. The staff assigned to the minority shall be under the 
general supervision and direction of the Ranking Member, who 
may delegate any authority he or she determines appropriate.
    (d) The Chair and Ranking Member have the right to secure 
one or more detailees to assist with the work of the Committee.

                             RULE 9. BUDGET

    (a) The Chair, in consultation with the Ranking Member, 
shall prepare a budget providing amounts for staff, committee 
travel, field hearings, investigation, and other expenses of 
the Committee. Funds authorized for the Committee as provided 
in clause 6 of rule X are for expenses incurred in the 
activities of the Committee.
    (b) Consistent with clause 9 of rule X, the Chair shall 
designate an amount equal to 1/3 of the amount provided to the 
Committee in the primary expense resolution adopted by the 
House of Representatives to be under the direction of the 
Ranking Member for the compensation of the minority staff, 
travel expenses of minority members and staff, and minority 
office expenses. All expenses of minority members and staff 
shall be paid for out of the amount so set aside.

                            RULE 10. TRAVEL

    (a) The Chair may authorize travel for any member and any 
staff member of the Committee in connection with activities or 
subject matters under the general jurisdiction of the 
Committee. Travel to be reimbursed from funds set aside for the 
Committee for any member of staff member shall be paid only 
upon the prior authorization of the Chair. Before such 
authorization is granted, there shall be submitted to the Chair 
in writing the following:
    (1) The purpose of the travel.
    (2) The dates during which the travel is to occur.
    (3) The names of the states or countries to be visited and 
the length of time to be spent in each.
    (4) An agenda of anticipated activities.
    (5) The names of members and staff of the Committee for 
whom the authorization is sought.
    (b) Members and staff of the Committee shall make a written 
report to the Chair on any travel they have conducted under 
this subsection, including a description of their itinerary, 
expenses, and activities, and of pertinent information gained 
as a result of such travel.
    (c) Members and staff of the Committee performing 
authorized travel on official business shall be governed by 
applicable laws, resolutions, and regulations of the House and 
of the Committee on House Administration.

                            RULE 11. WEBSITE

    The Chair shall maintain an official Committee website for 
the purpose of carrying out the official responsibilities of 
the Committee, including communicating information about the 
Committee's activities. The Ranking Member may maintain a 
minority website. To the maximum extent feasible, the Committee 
shall make its publications available in electronic form on the 
official Committee website maintained by the Chair.

                    Summary of Committee Activities


                           COMMITTEE HEARINGS

       Generation Climate: Young Leaders Urge Climate Action Now

    On Thursday, April 4, 2019, the Select Committee on the 
Climate Crisis held a hearing entitled ``Generation Climate: 
Young Leaders Urge Climate Action Now.'' The purpose of this 
hearing was to hear from young leaders who are urging 
policymakers to take climate action now and finally address the 
climate crisis. The Committee received testimony from the 
following witnesses:
     Lindsay Cooper, Policy Analyst. Office of the 
Governor of Louisiana, Office of Coastal Activities;
     Aji Piper, Plaintiff, Juliana v. United States;
     Chris J. Suggs, Student and activist;
     Melody Zhang, Climate Justice Campaign 
Coordinator, Sojourners, and Co-Chair, Young Evangelicals for 
Climate Action

  Solving the Climate Crisis: Drawing Down Carbon and Building Up the 
                            American Economy

    On Tuesday, April 30, 2019, the Select Committee on the 
Climate Crisis held a hearing entitled ``Solving the Climate 
Crisis: Drawing Down Carbon and Building Up the American 
Economy.'' The purpose of this hearing was to examine the 
latest climate science and what it says about reducing 
emissions to avert the worst impacts of climate change; key 
policy options to achieve those emissions reductions; and 
opportunities to strengthen the American economy while tackling 
climate change. The Committee received testimony from the 
following witnesses:
     David Foster, Distinguished Associate, Energy 
Futures Initiative;
     Christopher Guith, Acting President and CEO, U.S. 
Chamber of Commerce, Global Energy Institute;
     Hal Harvey, CEO, Energy Innovation;
     Dr. Diana Liverman, Regents Professor of Geography 
and Development, University of Arizona

                  Creating a Climate Resilient America

    On Thursday, May 23, 2019, the Select Committee on the 
Climate Crisis held a hearing entitled ``Creating a Climate 
Resilient America.'' The purpose of this hearing was to examine 
the costs and impacts of climate change and how our 
communities, ecosystems, and food system can be more resilient 
in the face of a changing climate. The Committee received 
testimony from the following witnesses:
     Dr. Noah Diffenbaugh, Kara J Foundation Professor 
and Kimmelman Family Senior Fellow, Stanford University;
     Dr. Rachel Cleetus, Policy Director, Climate and 
Energy Program, Union of Concerned Scientists;
     The Honorable Keith Hodges, Virginia State 
Delegate, 98th District of Virginia;
     Matt Russell, Farmer, and Executive Director, Iowa 
Interfaith Power & Light

           Solving the Climate Crisis: Ramping Up Renewables

    On Thursday, June 13, 2019, the Select Committee on the 
Climate Crisis held a hearing entitled ``Solving the Climate 
Crisis: Ramping Up Renewables.'' The purpose of this hearing 
was to examine opportunities to expand deployment of wind and 
solar energy sources. The Committee received testimony from the 
following witnesses:
     Abigail Ross Hopper, Esq., President and CEO, 
Solar Energy Industries Association;
     Tom Kiernan, President and CEO, American Wind 
Energy Association;
     Christine Tezak, Managing Director--Research, 
ClearView Energy Partners, LLC;
     Katherine Hamilton, Chair, 38 North Solutions

Solving the Climate Crisis: Cleaning Up Heavy Duty Vehicles, Protecting 
                              Communities

    On Tuesday, July 16, 2019, the Select Committee on the 
Climate Crisis held a hearing entitled ``Solving the Climate 
Crisis: Cleaning Up Heavy Duty Vehicles, Protecting 
Communities.'' The purpose of this hearing was to focus on ways 
to reduce emissions from heavy duty vehicles. The Committee 
received testimony from the following witnesses:
     Angelo Logan, Campaign Director, The Moving 
Forward Network;
     Michelle Romero, National Director, Green for All;
     Ryan Popple, President & CEO, Proterra, Inc.;
     Tony Satterthwaite, Vice President--Cummins, and 
President--Cummins Distribution Business

 Creating a Climate Resilient America: Business Views on the Costs of 
                           the Climate Crisis

    On Thursday, July 25, 2019, the Select Committee on the 
Climate Crisis held a hearing entitled ``Creating a Climate 
Resilient America: Business Views on the Costs of the Climate 
Crisis.'' The purpose of this hearing was to examine the risks, 
costs, and opportunities businesses, investors, and the economy 
face as a result of the climate crisis. The Committee received 
testimony from the following witnesses:
     Paula DiPerna, Special Advisor, CDP North America;
     Garvin Jabusch, Chief Investment Officer, Green 
Alpha Advisors, LLC;
     James K. Walker, Executive Vice President, South 
Louisiana Bank;
     Francis Bouchard, Group Head of Public Affairs & 
Sustainability, Zurich Insurance Group

  Colorado's Roadmap for Clean Energy Action: Lessons From State and 
                             Local Leaders

    On Thursday, August 1, 2019, the Select Committee on the 
Climate Crisis held a field hearing at the University of 
Colorado in Boulder, Colorado entitled ``Colorado's Roadmap for 
Clean Energy Action: Lessons from State and Local Leaders.'' 
The purpose of this hearing was to examine Colorado's state and 
local efforts to expand clean energy deployment. The Committee 
received testimony from the following witnesses:
Panel 1
     The Honorable Jared Polis, Governor, State of 
Colorado
Panel 2
     The Honorable Suzanne Jones, Mayor, City of 
Boulder, Colorado;
     The Honorable Wade Troxell, Mayor, City of Fort 
Collins, Colorado;
     Cary Weiner, State Energy Specialist, Colorado 
State University (CSU) Extension, and Director, Rural Energy 
Center, CSU;
     Chris Wright, CEO, Liberty Oilfield Services;
     Heidi VanGenderen, Chief Sustainability Officer, 
University of Colorado-Boulder

  Solving the Climate Crisis: Manufacturing Jobs for America's Workers

    On Tuesday, September 10, 2019, the Select Committee on the 
Climate Crisis held a hearing entitled ``Solving the Climate 
Crisis: Manufacturing Jobs for America's Workers.'' The purpose 
of this hearing was to focus on expanding job opportunities for 
America's workers in clean vehicle and clean energy technology 
manufacturing. The Committee received testimony from the 
following witnesses:
     Zoe Lipman, Director, Vehicles and Advanced 
Transportation Program, BlueGreen Alliance;
     Josh Nassar, Legislative Director, International 
Union, United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement 
Workers of America (UAW)
     Tarak Shah, Consultant, and Former Chief of Staff, 
Under Secretary for Science and Energy, U.S. Department of 
Energy;
     Edward Stones, Global Business Director, Energy 
and Climate Change, Dow Inc.

Voices Leading the Next Generation on the Global Climate Crisis (Joint 
Hearing With the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, 
                      Energy, and the Environment)

    On Wednesday, September 18, 2019, the Select Committee on 
the Climate Crisis held a joint hearing with the House Foreign 
Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, Energy, and the 
Environment entitled ``Voices Leading the Next Generation on 
the Global Climate Crisis.'' The purpose of this hearing was to 
hear directly from young people who are leading the way on 
climate action. The Committee received testimony from the 
following witnesses:
     Greta Thunberg, Founder, Fridays for the Future;
     Jamie Margolin, Co-Founder, This is Zero Hour, 
Plaintiff, Piper v. State of Washington;
     Vic Barrett, Founder, Alliance for Climate 
Education, Plaintiff, Juliana v. United States
     Benji Backer, President, American Conservation 
Coalition

Solving the Climate Crisis: Reducing Industrial Emissions Through U.S. 
                               Innovation

    On Thursday, September 26, 2019, the Select Committee on 
the Climate Crisis held a hearing entitled ``Solving the 
Climate Crisis: Reducing Industrial Emissions Through U.S. 
Innovation.'' This hearing examined innovative technologies and 
policies to enable emissions reductions in the industrial 
sector. The Committee received testimony from the following 
witnesses:
     David Gardiner, President, David Gardiner and 
Associates, and Executive Director, Combined Heat and Power 
Alliance
     Dr. Jeremy Gregory, Research Scientist and 
Executive Director, Concrete Sustainability Hub, MIT, on behalf 
of Portland Cement Association
     Brad Crabtree, Vice President, Carbon Management, 
Great Plains Institute, on behalf of Carbon Capture Coalition
     Cate Hight, Principal, Rocky Mountain Institute, 
on behalf of Rocky Mountain Institute

        Solving the Climate Crisis: Cleaner, Stronger Buildings

    On Thursday, October 17, 2019, the Select Committee on the 
Climate Crisis held a hearing entitled ``Solving the Climate 
Crisis: Cleaner, Stronger Buildings.'' The hearing examined key 
strategies to reduce emissions from and enhance the resilience 
of new and existing buildings. The Committee received testimony 
from the following witnesses:
     Anica Landreneau, Senior Principal, Director of 
Sustainable Design, Hellmouth, Obara & Kassabaum, P.C. (HOK);
     Kara Saul Rinaldi, Vice President of Government 
Affairs & Policy, Building Performance Association;
     James Rutland, President, Lowder New Homes, on 
behalf of National Association of Home Builders;
     Dr. Khalil Shahyd, Senior Policy Advocate, Natural 
Resources Defense Council;
     Roy Wright, President, Insurance Institute for 
Business and Home Safety

Solving the Climate Crisis: Natural Solutions to Cutting Pollution and 
                          Building Resilience

    On Tuesday, October 22, 2019, the Select Committee on the 
Climate Crisis held a hearing entitled ``Solving the Climate 
Crisis: Natural Solutions to Cutting Pollution and Building 
Resilience.'' The hearing examined the potential of natural 
climate solutions to help meet emissions reduction targets; 
improved land management actions and policies to reduce 
greenhouse gas emissions from the land sector; opportunities to 
increase carbon storage in landscapes and wetlands; and the co-
benefits of nature-based climate strategies to create resilient 
ecosystems and communities. The Committee received testimony 
from the following witnesses:
     Dr. Joe Fargione, Science Director--North America 
Region, The Nature Conservancy;
     Frankie Myers, Vice Chairman, Yurok Tribal 
Council, The Yurok Tribe;
     Dr. Jennifer Howard, Director, Climate and Oceans, 
Conservation International;
     The Honorable Alexander ``Andy'' Karsner, 
Executive Chairman, Elemental Labs

        Solving the Climate Crisis: Opportunities in Agriculture

    On Wednesday, October 30, 2019, the Select Committee on the 
Climate Crisis held a hearing entitled ``Solving the Climate 
Crisis: Opportunities in Agriculture.'' The hearing explored 
ways that agriculture can be a part of the climate solution by 
implementing climate smart agricultural practices to reduce 
greenhouse gas emissions and increase soil health and carbon 
sequestration in agricultural lands, helping to make farms more 
resilient to the impacts of climate change. The Committee 
received testimony from the following witnesses:
     Fred Yoder, 4th Generation Farmer, Co-Chair, 
Solutions from the Land;
     Christina Owens, Senior Director, Agriculture 
Funding & Communication, Danone North America, PBC;
     Dr. Jennifer Moore-Kucera, Climate Initiative 
Director, American Farmland Trust;
     Viral Amin, Vice President for Commercial 
Development & Strategy, DTE Energy Resources

                               Member Day

    On Thursday, November 14, the Select Committee on the 
Climate Crisis held a Member Day to hear testimony from House 
members regarding their climate policy ideas. At the hearing, 
26 Members testified and an additional 10 submitted statements 
for the record.

     Creating a Climate Resilient America: Reducing Risks and Costs

    On Wednesday, November 20, 2019, the Select Committee on 
the Climate Crisis held a hearing entitled ``Creating a Climate 
Resilient America: Reducing Risks and Costs. The hearing 
explored the climate risk information, standards, and tools 
that communities need to become more resilient to the impacts 
of climate change and to reduce the risks and costs of climate-
driven disasters. The Committee received testimony from the 
following witnesses:
     Chad Berginnis, Executive Director, Association of 
State Floodplain Managers;
     The Honorable Craig Fugate, Principal, Craig 
Fugate Consulting, and Former FEMA Administrator;
     The Honorable Alice C. Hill, Senior Fellow for 
Climate Change Policy, Council on Foreign Relations

    Creating a Climate Resilient America: Smart Finance for Strong 
                              Communities

    On Wednesday, December 11, 2019, the Select Committee on 
the Climate Crisis held a hearing entitled ``Creating a Climate 
Resilient America: Smart Finance for Strong Communities.'' The 
hearing explored the actions Congress can take to better 
leverage federal funds, private capital, and insurance to 
increase resilience before disasters and accelerate recovery in 
their aftermath, while ensuring that no community is left 
behind. The Committee received testimony from the following 
witnesses:
     Damon Burns, Executive Director, Finance Authority 
of New Orleans;
     Mark Gaffigan, Managing Director, Government 
Accountability Office;
     Marion Mollegan McFadden, Senior Vice President 
for Policy & Senior Advisory for Resilience Enterprise 
Community Partners;
     Chuck Wemple, Executive Director, Houston-
Galveston Area Council

 Creating a Climate Resilient America: Overcoming the Health Risks of 
                           the Climate Crisis

    On Wednesday, February 5, 2020, the Select Committee on the 
Climate Crisis held a hearing entitled ``Creating a Climate 
Resilient America: Overcoming the Health Risks of the Climate 
Crisis.'' The hearing explored the health risks of the climate 
crisis and solutions to address them. The Committee received 
testimony from the following witnesses:
     The Honorable Gina McCarthy, President and Chief 
Executive Officer, Natural Resources Defense Council;
     Dr. Aparna Bole, Chair, AAP Council on 
Environmental Health, on behalf of American Academy of 
Pediatrics;
     Arturo S. Rodriguez, President Emeritus, on behalf 
of United Farm Workers, UFW Foundation;
     Derrick Hollie, President, Reaching America (*Mr. 
Hollie was unable to testify in person due to illness; his 
testimony was submitted for the record)

 Solving the Climate Crisis: Building a Vibrant and Just Clean Energy 
                                Economy

    On Tuesday, July 28, 2020, the Select Committee on the 
Climate Crisis held a virtual hearing entitled ``Solving the 
Climate Crisis: Building a Vibrant and Just Clean Energy 
Economy.'' The hearing focused on ensuring a just, equitable 
transition to a net-zero clean energy economy that creates 
good-paying, high-quality jobs. The Committee received 
testimony from the following witnesses:
     Dr. Ana Baptista, Assistant Professor of 
Professional Practice & Associate Director of the Tishman 
Environment and Design Center, The New School, on behalf of New 
Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance and the Equitable and 
Just Climate Forum;
     Jason Walsh, Executive Director, BlueGreen 
Alliance;
     Michael Shellenberger, Founder & President, 
Environmental Progress;
     Beth Soholt, Executive Director, Clean Grid 
Alliance, on behalf of American Council on Renewable Energy and 
Americans for a Clean Energy Grid

Creating a Climate Resilient America: Strengthening the U.S. Financial 
               System and Expanding Economic Opportunity

    On Thursday, October 1, 2020, the Select Committee on the 
Climate Crisis held a virtual hearing entitled ``Creating a 
Climate Resilient America: Strengthening the U.S. Financial 
System and Expanding Economic Opportunity.'' The purpose of 
this hearing was to explore the ways that the climate crisis 
exacerbates economic harm and injustice and identify strategies 
to strengthen financial to systems and enhance access to 
capital to support community resilience and economic recovery. 
The Committee received testimony from the following witnesses:
Panel 1
     The Honorable Rostin Behnam, Commissioner, 
Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Panel 2
     Dr. Joanna Syroka, Senior Underwriter and Director 
of New Markets, Fermat Capital Management, LLC;
     Rich Powell, Executive Director, ClearPath;
     Maggie Monast, Director of Working Lands, 
Environmental Defense Fund

                         COMMITTEE ROUNDTABLES

    In addition to official hearings, the Select Committee on 
the Climate Crisis held private, Member-level roundtables to 
hear additional perspectives and discuss policies with invited 
experts.

       Roundtable Discussion With Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti

    On Wednesday, May 22, 2019, the Select Committee on the 
Climate Crisis held a roundtable with Los Angeles Mayor Eric 
Garcetti. Mayor Garcetti discussed the City's updated 
Sustainability Plan, released in April 2019, and his policies 
to reduce pollution and adapt to the impacts of climate change. 
The Committee was briefed by the following witness:
     The Honorable Eric Garcetti, Mayor, Los Angeles, 
California

         Roundtable on Electricity Transmission Infrastructure

    On Thursday, June 20, 2019, the Select Committee on the 
Climate Crisis held a roundtable focused on electricity 
transmission infrastructure. The roundtable focused on the need 
to upgrade and expand America's electricity infrastructure and 
key challenges, including planning, cost allocation, and 
siting. The Committee was briefed by the following witnesses:
     Donnie Colston, Director, Utility Department, 
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers;
     The Honorable Suedeen Kelly, Partner, Jenner & 
Block, and Former FERC Commissioner;
     Rob Gramlich, Founder and President, Grid 
Strategies LLC;
     The Honorable Philip D. Moeller, Executive Vice 
President, Business Operations Group and Regulatory Affairs, 
Edison Electric Institute, and Former FERC Commissioner

                Roundtable on Electricity Market Design

    On Wednesday, June 26, 2019, the Select Committee on the 
Climate Crisis held a roundtable focused on electricity market 
design and the relevance to federal climate policy. The 
Committee was briefed by the following witnesses:
     The Honorable Norman Bay, Partner, Wilkie Farr & 
Gallagher LLP, and Former FERC Chairman;
     Dr. Jennifer Chen, Senior Counsel on Federal 
Energy Policy, Nicholas Institute, Duke University;
     Brad Markell, Executive Director, Industrial Union 
Council, AFL-CIO

       Roundtable on the Climate Crisis in the Great Lakes Region

    On Wednesday, August 14, 2019, the Select Committee on the 
Climate Crisis held a public, regional roundtable at the Adler 
Planetarium in Chicago, Illinois focused on the impacts of 
climate change in the Great Lakes region. The Committee was 
briefed by the following witnesses:
     Margaret Garascia, Senior Manager, Elevate Energy, 
which administers the Illinois Solar for All program;
     Elena Grossman, BRACE-Illinois Program Director, 
University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Public Health;
     Dr. Aaron Packman, Professor, Civil and 
Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, Water Lead, 
Manufacturing Science and Engineering Initiative, Argonne 
National Laboratory;
     Karen Weigert, Vice President, Slipstream, Inc., 
and Former Director of Sustainability, City of Chicago, 
Illinois

                      Roundtable on Nuclear Power

    On Friday, September 20, 2019, the Select Committee on the 
Climate Crisis held a roundtable on nuclear power. The 
roundtable examined opportunities and challenges related to the 
existing U.S. nuclear fleet and next-generation nuclear power 
technologies. The Committee was briefed by the following 
witnesses:
     Rob Cowin, Director of Government Affairs, Climate 
& Energy Program, Union of Concerned Scientists;
     Kodwo Ghartey-Tagoe, State President, South 
Carolina, Duke Energy;
     The Honorable Colette Honorable, Partner, Reed 
Smith LLC, Former FERC Commissioner, and Former Chairman, 
Arkansas Public Service Commission;
     Dr. Jesse Jenkins, Assistant Professor, Department 
of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Andlinger Center for 
Energy & Environment, Princeton University

                 Roundtable Meeting With Tribal Leaders

    On Thursday, February 13, 2020, the Select Committee on the 
Climate Crisis held a meeting with National Congress of 
American Indian (NCAI) tribal leaders on climate action efforts 
of tribal nations. The Committee was briefed by the following 
witnesses:
     Fawn Sharp, President, Quinault Indian Nation, and 
President, National Congress of American Indians (NCAI);
     Stephen Roe Lewis, Governor, Gila River Indian 
Community, and Co-Chair, NCAI Climate Action Task Force;
     Clinton Lageson, Treasurer, Kenaitze Indian Tribe, 
and NCAI Treasurer

            Virtual Roundtable on COVID-19 and Air Pollution

    On Friday, April 17, 2020, the Select Committee on the 
Climate Crisis held a virtual roundtable to examine the 
relationship between historical exposure to air pollution and 
COVID-19 mortality in the United States. The Committee was 
briefed by the following witness:
     Dr. Francesca Dominici, Professor of 
Biostatistics, Population Health and Data Science, and Co-
Director, Data Science Initiative, Harvard University

              Virtual Roundtable on COVID-19 and Disasters

    On Thursday, May 21, 2020, the Select Committee on the 
Climate Crisis held a virtual roundtable on ways to help state 
and local governments protect their communities from climate-
fueled threats--including wildfires, severe storms, hot summer 
conditions, and a hurricane season that is predicted to be more 
active than usual--as they continue to respond to the public 
health crisis posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Committee was 
briefed by the following witnesses:
     The Honorable Sharon Weston Broome, Mayor, Baton 
Rouge, Louisiana, President of East Baton Rouge Parish, and Co-
Chair of the Mississippi River Cities & Town Initiative
     The Honorable Craig Fugate, Principal, Craig 
Fugate Consulting, and former FEMA Administrator

                      COMMITTEE AUTHORIZED TRAVEL

               Chair Kathy Castor Trip to South Carolina

    On Monday, May 13, 2019, the Select Committee on the 
Climate Crisis' Chair Kathy Castor traveled to South Carolina's 
1st Congressional District. Her visit included visits and tours 
examining the issues of resiliency, infrastructure, government 
funding, and flooding in the hospital district of Sullivan 
Island, S.C. As part of the Chair's visit to Sullivan Island, 
S.C., she met with the following people:
     The Honorable Joe Cunningham, Member of Congress
     The Honorable Pat O'Neil, Mayor, Sullivan Island, 
S.C.
     Andy Benke, Town Administrator, Sullivan Island, 
S.C.
     M. Richard DeVoe, Executive Director, South 
Carolina Sea Grant Consortium

             Chair Kathy Castor Trip to Southern California

    On Thursday, May 30 and Friday, May 31, 2019, the Select 
Committee on the Climate Crisis' Chair Kathy Castor traveled to 
Southern California. Her visit included a discussion with the 
Scripps Institution of Oceanography and U.C. San Diego; a tour 
of the Proterra EV bus factory; a visit to Navy Base, Point 
Mugu to discuss climate change resiliency and renewable energy 
& efficiency; a roundtable discussion at the Port of Hueneme; 
and a tour of Houweling's Tomatoes. As part of the Chair's trip 
to Southern California, she met with the following people:
     The Honorable Mike Levin, Member of Congress
     The Honorable Julia Brownley, Member of Congress
     The Honorable Grace Napolitano, Member of Congress
     Dr. Margaret Leinen: U.C. San Diego Vice 
Chancellor for Marine Sciences, Director of Scripps Institution 
of Oceanography, and Dean of the School of Marine Sciences
     Dr. David Victor, Professor; Co-director, 
Laboratory on International Law and Regulation, School of 
Global Policy & Strategy, U.C. San Diego
     Dr. Kimberly Prather, Professor, Climate, 
Atmospheric Science, & Physical Oceanography (CASPO), Scripps 
Institution of Oceanography, U.C. San Diego
     Dr. Mark Merrifield, Director, Center for Climate 
Change Impacts and Adaptations (CCCIA), Scripps Institution of 
Oceanography, U.C. San Diego
     Dr. Dan Cayan, Research Meteorologist, Climate, 
Atmospheric Science, & Physical Oceanography (CASPO), Scripps 
Institution of Oceanography, U.C. San Diego
     Jason Anderson, President and CEO, Cleantech San 
Diego
     Brian Miller, Proterra Inc.
     CAPT Jeff Chism, Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC) 
Commanding Officer
     LCDR Brian Christner, NBVC Acting Public Works 
Officer
     Daniel Shide, NBVC Environmental Program Director
     Amanda Fagan, NBVC Community Planning and Liaison 
Officer and encroachment specialist
     Dave Masias, NBVC Energy Program Director
     Valerie Vartanian, NBVC Natural Resources Manager
     Kristin Decas, CEO, Port of Hueneme
     Jonathan Parfrey, Executive Director, Climate 
Resolve
     Dave Pedersen, General Manager, Las Virgenes 
Municipal Water District
     Karen Schmidt, Regional Affairs Manager, Clean 
Power Alliance, Regional Affairs Manager
     Alyssa Mann, Project Director, Disaster 
Resilience, The Nature Conservancy
     Kevin Doran, CEO, Houweling's Tomatoes
     Jaymee McInerney, Brand Manager, Houweling's 
Tomatoes
     Ben Vazquez, Site General Manager, Houweling's 
Tomatoes

              Chair Kathy Castor Trip to Coastal Virginia

    On Monday, July 8 and Tuesday, July 9, 2019, the Select 
Committee on the Climate Crisis' Chair Kathy Castor traveled to 
coastal Virginia. Her visit included discussions and site 
visits around resiliency and climate change in the Hampton 
Roads region of Virginia, as well as a visit to the Virginia 
Museum of Science in Richmond Virginia. As part of the Chair's 
trip to coastal Virginia, she met with the following people:
     The Honorable A. Donald McEachin, Member of 
Congress
     The Honorable Elaine Luria, Member of Congress
     The Honorable Bobby Scott, Member of Congress
     Andria McClellan, Chairwoman of Coastal Resilience 
Subcommittee, Hampton Roads Planning District Commission
     Skip Stiles, Executive Director, Wetlands Watch
     Kit Chope, Port of Virginia
     Dustin Rinehart, Port of Virginia
     Brian Ballard, U.S. Navy
     Robb Braidwood, Deputy Coordinator of Emergency 
Management, City of Chesapeake, Virginia
     Kyle Spencer, Deputy Resiliency Officer, City of 
Norfolk, Virginia
     Tom Leahy, Deputy City Manager, Virginia Beach, 
Virginia
     Ann Phillips, Special Assistant to the Governor, 
State of Virginia
     Jeremy S. Hoffman, Ph.D., Chief Scientist, Science 
Museum of Virginia

                Select Committee Member Trip to Colorado

    On Tuesday, July 30 and Wednesday, July 31, 2019, Members 
of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis traveled 
throughout Colorado on site visits to learn more about the 
research of scientists at National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (NOAA) and federally-funded laboratories. This 
included a site visit to NOAA's Earth System Research Library 
in Boulder, CO; a visit to the Cooperative Institute for 
Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at the University of 
Colorado in Boulder, CO; a visit to the National Renewable 
Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, CO; a visit to the National 
Wind Technology Center at NREL's Flatirons Campus; and a visit 
to the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in 
Boulder, CO. As part of the Members' trip to Colorado, they met 
with the following people:
     The Honorable Jared Polis, Governor, State of 
Colorado
     The Honorable Bill Ritter, Former Governor, State 
of Colorado
     David Fahey, Director, Chemical Sciences Division, 
NOAA Earth System Research Library
     Sarah Venema, Outreach Specialist, NOAA
     Brian Copello, Executive Director, Communications 
Technology Laboratory, National Institutes for Science and 
Technology (NIST)
     Dr. Keith Gremban, Director, Institute for 
Telecommunication Sciences, National Telecommunications and 
Information Administration
     Rich Lataitis, Associate Director, Physical 
Sciences Division, NOAA ESRL
     Marty Hoerling, Meteorologist, Physical Sciences 
Division, NOAA ESRL
     Roger Pulwarty, Scientist, Physical Sciences 
Division, NOAA ESRL
     James Butler, Director, Global Monitoring 
Division, NOAA ESRL
     Waleed Abdalati, Director, CIRES
     Caroline Alden, Senior Research Scientist, CIRES
     Noah Fierer, Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary 
Biology
     Jennifer Balch, Associate Professor of Geography
     Derek Passarelli, Director, Golden Field Office, 
U.S. Department of Energy
     Peter Green, Deputy Laboratory Director, Science 
and Technology, NREL
     Juan Torres, Associate Lab Director, Energy 
Systems Integration, NREL
     Jao Van De Lagemaat, Center Director II--
Technical, NREL
     Mark Davis, Director, Biosciences Center, NREL
     Johney Green, Associate Laboratory Director for 
Mechanical and Thermal Engineering Sciences
     Tim Barnes, Science Education Specialist, NCAR
     Antonio J. Busalacchi, President, NCAR
     David Gochis, Scientist, NCAR
     Olga Wilhelmi, Project Scientist, NCAR

            Chair Kathy Castor Trip to Gainesville, Florida

    On Monday, August 12, 2019, the Select Committee on the 
Climate Crisis' Chair Kathy Castor traveled to Gainesville, 
Florida. Her visit consisted of a tour of a cattle and timber 
farm, a panel discussion on the needs of farmers in Florida in 
the face of climate change, and a forum hosted by the 
University of Florida on agriculture and forestry in a changing 
climate. As part of the Chair's trip to Gainesville, she met 
with the following people:
     Lynetta Usher Griner, Co-Chair, Florida Climate 
Smart Agriculture Work Group
     Jim Strickland, Co-Chair, Florida Climate Smart 
Agriculture Work Group
     Dr. Senthold Asseng, Director, Florida Climate 
Institute
     Dr. Lisa Conti, Director of Strategic Initiatives, 
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
     Frank Giles, Editor, Florida Growers magazine
     Dr. Nick Place, Dean and Director, University of 
Florida/IFAS Extension
     Dr. Jack Payne, Senior Vice President for 
Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Florida
     Ernie Shea, President, Solutions from the Land
     Fred Yoder, Co-chair of the Board of Directors, 
Solutions from the Land
     Don Bennink, Dairy farmer
     Heath Davis, Cedar Key Seafarms
     Gray Drummond, Florida Outdoors Experience
     Ken Griner, Timber and cattle rancher
     Korey Griner, Timber and cattle rancher
     Don Quincey, Cattle rancher
     Dr. Carolyn Mutter, International Program Manager, 
The Agricultural Model Intercomparison & Improvement Project, 
Colombia University Earth Institute Center for Climate Systems 
Research
     Bill Hohenstein, Director, Office of Energy and 
Environment Policy, Office of the Chief Economist, USDA
     Dr. Wendy-Lin Bartels, University of Florida 
School of Forest Resources and Conservation
     Gary Wishnatski, strawberry farmer
     Randall Dasher, peanuts and veggie farmer
     Sandy Stein, plant nursery
     Kirk Brock, row crop farmer

            Chair Kathy Castor Trip to Illinois and Michigan

    From Tuesday, August 13, 2019 through Friday, August 16, 
2019, the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis' Chair Kathy 
Castor traveled to Illinois and Michigan. Her visit included 
discussions and site visits examining the economic impacts of 
climate change, and the growing costs of inaction in the Great 
Lakes region; electric buses and vehicles; and environmental 
justice. As part of the Chair's trip to Illinois and Michigan, 
she met with the following people:
     The Honorable Sean Casten, Member of Congress
     The Honorable Debbie Dingell, Member of Congress
     The Honorable Andy Levin, Member of Congress
     The Honorable Haley Stevens, Member of Congress
     The Honorable Rashida Tlaib, Member of Congress
     Bob Keefe, E2, Executive Director
     Jon Sack, NRDC
     Gen. John Castellaw, USMC-RET, E2
     Annette Beitel, E2, President, Future Energy 
Enterprises
     Ellington Ellis, Co-founder and Managing Partner, 
Global Battery Solutions
     Milton Pinskey, CEO, Banner Realty
     Randy Bell, Director, Global Energy Center, 
Atlantic Council
     Troy Clarke, CEO, Navistar
     Walter Borst, CFO, Navistar
     Darren Gosbee, VP, Advanced Engineering, Navistar
     Jennifer Kelly, Research Department Head, UAW
     Steve Beers, Research Analyst, UAW
     Jason Wade, Research Analyst, UAW
     Sergio Espinosa, Government Affairs Specialist, 
IBEW
     Austin Keyser, Director of Political and 
Legislative Affairs, IBEW
     Art Kroll, Assistant to District 2 Director, 
Steelworkers
     Zoe Lipman, Director, Vehicles and Advanced 
Transportation Program, BlueGreen Alliance
     Frank Houston, BlueGreen Alliance
     James Chen, Rivian
     Mark Nabong, Natural Resources Defense Council
     Nick Moroz, Assistant Director of Entrepreneurial 
Practice at Center for Entrepreneurship, University of 
Michigan, and Commissioner, City of Plymouth, Michigan
     Michelle Martinez, Michigan Environmental Justice 
Coalition Coordinator
     Theresa Landrum, Detroit-based environmental 
justice leader
     Darryl Jordan, East Michigan Environmental Action 
Council
     Gloria Lowe, We Want Green Too

             Chair Kathy Castor Trip to New York, New York

    From Saturday, September 22, 2019 through Monday, September 
23, 2019, the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis' Chair 
Kathy Castor traveled to New York City, NY. Chair Castor 
participated in the United Nation's Climate Action Summit, 
speaking at the panel ``Advancing Buildings and Sustainable 
Urban Infrastructure,'' which was part of the session 
``Partnerships for Ambition: Unlocking the Full Potential of 
Local Climate Action '' Her visit also included attending 
additional side events of the summit and discussions with 
international climate, finance and clean energy experts. As 
part of the Chair's trip to New York, she met with the 
following people:
     Dirk Forrister, CEO, International Emissions 
Trading Association
     Jonathan Grant, Vice-Chair, International 
Emissions Trading Association
     Kelley Kizzier, Associate Vice President, 
Environmental Defense Fund
     Lord Adair Turner, Chairman, Energy Transitions 
Commission

                Chair Kathy Castor Trip to South Florida

    From Thursday, November 7, 2019 through Friday, November 8, 
2019, the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis' Chair Kathy 
Castor traveled to South Florida. Her visit included 
discussions and site visits examining the reef ecosystem health 
of the National Marine Sanctuary in North Key Largo; 
environmental conservation in the Everglades National Park in 
Florida; a visit to the Wall of Wind at Florida International 
University to examine hurricane force winds and their impacts; 
and resiliency and the impacts of coastal flooding throughout 
the city of Miami Beach. As part of the Chair's trip to South 
Florida, she met with the following people:
     The Honorable Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, Member of 
Congress
     The Honorable Donna Shalala, Member of Congress
     The Honorable Jose Javier ``J.J.'' Rodriguez, 
Senator, Florida State Senate
     The Honorable Jason Pizzo, Senator, Florida State 
Senate
     The Honorable Dan Gelber, Mayor, City of Miami 
Beach, Florida
     The Honorable Nick Duran, State Representative, 
Florida State House of Representatives
     The Honorable Phillip Stoddard, Mayor, South 
Miami, Florida
     The Honorable Brent Latham, Mayor, North Bay 
Village, Florida
     Chris Bergh, Director of Coastal and Marine 
Resilience, The Nature Conservancy
     Lad Akins, Chapter Director, Florida Keys National 
Marine Sanctuary Foundation
     Richard Olson, Professor and Director of Extreme 
Events Research, Office of the Vice President for Research, 
Florida International University
     Todd Crowl, Professor; Director, Institute of 
Water and Environment, Florida International University
     Tiffany Troxler, Research Assistant Professor; 
Associate Director of Science, Sea Level Solutions Center, 
Florida International University
     Jayantha ``Obey'' Obeysekera, Florida 
International University
     Alec Bogdanoff, Principal & Co-Founder, Brizaga, 
Inc.
     Jim Murley, Chief Resiliency Officer, Miami-Dade 
County
     Jennifer Jurado, Chief Resiliency Officer, Broward 
County
     Michelle Burge, Chief of Staff to Mayor Dan Gelber
     Jimmy Morales, City Manager of Miami Beach, 
Florida
     Marcia Monserrat, Chief of Staff and Legislative 
Liaison to Jimmy Morales
     Roy Coley, Public Works Director, City of Miami 
Beach, Florida
     Amy Knowles, Deputy Climate Resilience Officer, 
City of Miami Beach, Florida
     Susy Torriente, Assistant City Manager & Climate 
Resilience Officer, City of Miami Beach, Florida
     Elizabeth Wheaton, Office of Environment and 
Sustainability Director, City of Miami Beach, Florida
     Eleazar Melendez, Miami Climate Alliance
     Ralph Rosado, City Manager of North Bay Village, 
Florida
     Emily Gorman, Sierra Club

              Select Committee Member Trip to UNFCCC COP25

    From Sunday, December 1, 2019 through Tuesday, December 3, 
2019, Members of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis 
joined a bicameral Congressional Delegation led by Speaker 
Nancy Pelosi to the 2019 United Nations Framework Convention on 
Climate Change Conference, known as COP25, held in Madrid, 
Spain. The delegation engaged in several key bilateral 
discussions, including with U.N. Secretary General Antonio 
Guterres, H.M. King Felipe VI of Spain, President Pedro Sanchez 
of Spain and European Parliament President David Sassoli. 
Members participated in the COP25 opening ceremony and met 
separately with international, U.S. and faith-based NGOs to 
learn more about their efforts around the globe. Members also 
attended a meeting of the Climate Vulnerable Forum, which 
brings together the nations most at risk from the climate 
crisis, at which Speaker Pelosi spoke alongside several heads 
of governments including Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Prime 
Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed of Bangladesh and Costa Rican 
President Carlos Alvarado Quesada.

    Ranking Member Garret Graves Trip to California and Pennsylvania

    From Friday, December 6, 2019 through Monday, December 9, 
2019, the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis' Ranking 
Member Garret Graves traveled to California and Pennsylvania. 
His visit included site visits at Department of Energy national 
laboratories and discussions with innovation site leaders and 
climate change stakeholders.

                               APPENDIX I

                            Printed Meetings

    116-1--Organizational Meeting for the 116th Congress; 
Thursday, March 28, 2019

                            Printed Hearings

    116-2--Generation Climate: Young Leaders Urge Climate 
Action Now; Thursday, April 4, 2019
    116-3--Solving the Climate Crisis: Drawing Down Carbon and 
Building Up the American Economy; Tuesday, April 30, 2019
    116-4--Creating a Climate Resilient America; Thursday, May 
23, 2019
    116-5--Solving the Climate Crisis: Ramping Up Renewables; 
Thursday, June 13, 2019
    116-6--Solving the Climate Crisis: Cleaning Up Heavy Duty 
Vehicles, Protecting Communities; Tuesday, July 16, 2019
    116-7--Creating a Climate Resilient America: Business Views 
on the Costs of the Climate Crisis; Thursday, July 25, 2019
    116-8--Colorado's Roadmap for Clean Energy Action: Lessons 
from State and Local Leaders; Thursday, August 1, 2019
    116-9--Solving the Climate Crisis: Manufacturing Jobs for 
America's Workers; Tuesday, September 10, 2019
    Voices Leading the Next Generation on the Global Climate 
Crisis; Wednesday, September 18, 2019; *Joint Hearing--Print 
Produced by House Foreign Affairs Committee
    116-10--Solving the Climate Crisis: Reducing Industrial 
Emissions Through U.S. Innovation; Thursday, September 26, 2019
    116-11--Solving the Climate Crisis: Cleaner, Stronger 
Buildings; Thursday, October 17, 2019
    116-12--Solving the Climate Crisis: Natural Solutions to 
Cutting Pollution and Building Resilience; Tuesday, October 22, 
2019
    116-13--Solving the Climate Crisis: Opportunities in 
Agriculture; Wednesday, October 30, 2019
    116-14--Member Day; Thursday, November 14, 2019
    116-15--Creating a Climate Resilient America: Reducing 
Risks and Costs; Wednesday, November 20, 2019
    116-16--Creating a Climate Resilient America: Smart Finance 
for Strong Communities; Wednesday, December 11, 2019
    116-17--Creating a Climate Resilient America: Overcoming 
the Health Risks of the Climate Crisis; Wednesday, February 5, 
2020
    116-18--Solving the Climate Crisis: Building a Vibrant and 
Just Clean Energy Economy; Tuesday, July 28, 2020
    116-19--Creating a Climate Resilient America: Strengthening 
the U.S. Financial System and Expanding Economic Opportunity; 
Thursday, October 1, 2020

                              APPENDIX II

                            ADDITIONAL VIEWS

    The Activity Report of the 116th Congress documents the 
extensive work of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis 
during this Congress. In addition, the Democratic Members also 
released the majority staff report ``Solving the Climate 
Crisis: The Congressional Action Plan for a Clean Energy 
Economy and Healthy, Resilient, and Just America.'' The staff 
report lays out hundreds of policy recommendations for 
congressional action and centers on 12 key pillars. The 
recommendations were based on the work detailed in this 
Activity Report, 700 substantive responses to the Committee's 
September 2019 Request for Information, and more than a 
thousand stakeholder meetings with Members and staff. These 
additional views, submitted on behalf of the Select Committee 
on the Climate Crisis' Majority, include the Preface and the 
Executive Summary of the Climate Crisis Action Plan, which sums 
up the investigatory work of the Committee over the course of 
the 116th Congress and the Congressional action needed to helps 
solve the climate crisis.

From ``Solving the Climate Crisis: The Congressional Action Plan for a 
   Clean Energy Economy and a Healthy, Resilient, and Just America''

                                Preface

    At the time of this report's release in June 2020, the 
nation was reeling. The COVID-19 pandemic had claimed more than 
120,000 lives in the United States. Months of stay-at-home 
orders and business closures had put 40 million Americans out 
of work, upending the livelihoods of working families. More 
than one in four workers claimed unemployment benefits, and 
many more struggled to navigate an often-broken unemployment 
filing system. This economic crisis, which by many measures 
exceeded the worst of the Great Recession, exacerbated economic 
inequalities that existed before the pandemic, particularly for 
women and people of color. As some states began to slowly 
reopen at the end of May, the nation erupted in protest in 
response to yet another police killing of a defenseless 
African-American man, George Floyd. Throughout it all, 
President Trump failed to lead the country in a unified and 
compassionate response, instead choosing to fan the flames of 
discord and distrust.
    Against this backdrop, one may wonder why Select Committee 
Democrats would choose to release this report with 
recommendations to solve the climate crisis.
    We cannot wait. Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations 
in May 2020 exceeded the highest monthly average ever recorded. 
The planet suffered through the second hottest year ever in 
2019, and May 2020 tied for the highest global May temperature 
in 141 years of recordkeeping. As the Earth continues to heat 
up, climate-related impacts, including heat waves, extreme 
storms, droughts, and flooding, are worsening. The country's 
most vulnerable populations--low-income communities and 
communities of color that have been hardest hit by the COVID-19 
pandemic--are most at risk, as underlying demographic, 
socioeconomic, and health factors act as threat multipliers for 
the dangerous impacts of climate change.
    While the harmful human and economic costs of inaction 
continue to compound, the solutions to climate change--
including building and rebuilding America's energy, 
transportation, and manufacturing infrastructure to be cleaner 
and more resilient to climate impacts--offer an opportunity to 
propel the economy forward. Solving the climate crisis is hard 
work, but it provides a pathway to millions of good-paying, 
high-quality jobs that can fortify and expand America's middle 
class. As Congress crafts legislation to help the country 
rebound from the pandemic and economic crisis, clean energy and 
climate investments can power short- and long-term economic 
recovery.
    Building a resilient, clean economy affords us another 
opportunity: to acknowledge and commit to correcting past 
policy failures that created the climate crisis and the 
systemic economic and racial inequalities that plague our 
communities today. This report offers policy recommendations 
that address the urgency of the climate crisis and begin to 
repair the legacy of environmental pollution that has burdened 
low-income communities and communities of color for decades. 
Climate solutions must have justice and equity at their core.
    The protests in response to George Floyd's death are 
reminders of the consequences of past inaction, while responses 
to the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrate that Americans can 
mobilize en masse to save lives. Both underscore that there are 
no foregone conclusions. What we choose to do now shapes the 
future. What happens next--for racial equality, for public 
health, for the climate crisis--depends on us.

                           Executive Summary

    American leadership and ingenuity are central to solving 
the climate crisis. With the devastating health and economic 
consequences of climate change growing at home and abroad, the 
United States must act urgently, guided by science, and in 
concert with the international community to provide a livable 
climate for today's youth and future generations. We must 
harness the technological innovation of the moonshot, the 
creativity of our entrepreneurs, the strength of our workers, 
and the moral force of a nation endeavoring to establish 
justice for all. Working together, we will avert the worst 
impacts of the climate emergency and build a stronger, 
healthier, and fairer America for everyone. The Climate Crisis 
Action Plan outlined in this report provides a roadmap for 
Congress to build a prosperous, clean energy economy that 
values workers, advances environmental justice, and is prepared 
to meet the challenges of the climate crisis.

                  A FRAMEWORK FOR CONGRESSIONAL ACTION

    In January 2019, House Resolution 6 created the bipartisan 
Select Committee on the Climate Crisis to ``develop 
recommendations on policies, strategies, and innovations to 
achieve substantial and permanent reductions in pollution and 
other activities that contribute to the climate crisis.''\1\ 
The resolution directed the Select Committee to deliver policy 
recommendations to the standing legislative committees of 
jurisdiction for their consideration and action.\2\ Over the 
last 17 months, the Select Committee has consulted with 
hundreds of stakeholders and scientists, solicited written 
input, and held hearings to develop a robust set of legislative 
policy recommendations for ambitious climate action.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\H. Res. 6, ``Adopting the Rules of the House of Representatives 
for the One Hundred Sixteenth Congress, and for other purposes,'' 
Section 104(f), 116th Congress.
    \2\H. Res. 6 directed the Select Committee to deliver policy 
recommendations by March 31, 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic delayed the 
Select Committee's report release until June 2020.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    In this report, the majority staff for the Select Committee 
lays out a framework for comprehensive congressional action\3\ 
to satisfy the scientific imperative to reduce carbon pollution 
as quickly and aggressively as possible, make communities more 
resilient to the impacts of climate change, and build a durable 
and equitable clean energy economy. To succeed, Congress needs 
to put people and communities at the center of climate policy 
so they can see and experience the tangible benefits of climate 
action for their health and livelihoods.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \3\This report focuses on what actions Congress should take to 
address the climate crisis rather than what the White House should do 
with its existing authority. Ideally, legislative and administrative 
action would be complementary.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    In practical terms, this means building and rebuilding 
America's infrastructure, the foundation of the American 
economy and communities; reinvigorating American manufacturing 
to create a new generation of secure, good-paying, high-quality 
jobs; prioritizing investment where it is needed the most, 
including rural and deindustrialized areas, low-income 
communities, and communities of color; and beginning to repair 
the legacy of economic and racial inequality that has left low-
income workers and communities of color disproportionately 
exposed to pollution and more vulnerable to the costs and 
impacts of climate change. By responding to the material harm 
of the climate crisis, Congress will also address the moral 
obligation to protect the most vulnerable and allow future 
generations to thrive.

                     THE CLIMATE CRISIS ACTION PLAN

    To have a chance at limiting warming to 1.5+C and avoiding 
increasingly severe impacts from climate change, the 
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded that 
global net anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions must fall by 
45% from global 2010 levels by 2030 and reach net-zero by 
2050.\4\ Hitting these targets will require a ``rapid and far-
reaching'' transition across the economy that is 
``unprecedented in terms of scale.''\5\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \4\Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Special Report 
on Global Warming of 1.5+C (October 2018) at 14.
    \5\Ibid. at 17.
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    The Climate Crisis Action Plan establishes a goal of 
reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions economy-wide in the 
United States by no later than 2050; directs the president to 
set ambitious interim targets to meet or exceed that goal; and 
calls for achieving net-negative greenhouse gas emissions 
during the second half of the century.
    The Climate Crisis Action Plan will build an American 
economy that protects public health and values workers, 
families, communities, and current and future generations who 
are depending on Congress to tackle the existential threat of 
climate change in a just and equitable way. The Climate Crisis 
Action Plan lays out hundreds of recommendations for 
comprehensive congressional action and centers on 12 key 
pillars, as detailed below. These recommendations offer an 
array of policy solutions that can benefit communities across 
the country, whether they are rural or urban; create good, 
local jobs; and reduce pollution.
    The majority staff for the Select Committee previewed its 
draft policy recommendations with the non-partisan think tank 
Energy Innovation: Policy and Technology LLC (``Energy 
Innovation''). Energy Innovation used their open-source Energy 
Policy Simulator\6\ to model the emissions reductions and co-
benefits from implementing a subset of the Select Committee's 
recommendations. According to Energy Innovation's model, the 
Select Committee majority staff's recommendations across the 12 
pillars will set the country on a path to achieving net-zero 
greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The subset of recommendations 
from the Climate Crisis Action Plan would:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \6\Energy Innovation: Policy and Technology LLC, Energy Policy 
Simulator, https://www.energypolicy.solutions/.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Reduce net U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 
        37% below 2010 levels in 2030 and 88% below 2010 levels 
        in 2050.\7\ The remaining 12% of emissions comes from 
        the hardest to decarbonize sectors, such as heavy-duty 
        and off-road transportation, industry, and agriculture.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \7\This is equivalent to 40% below 2005 levels by 2030 and 89% 
below 2005 levels by 2050. We used the 2010 reference point because the 
IPCC uses 2010 levels when it describes near-term emissions reduction 
goals to limit warming to 1.5+.
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           Lead the United States to reach net-zero 
        carbon dioxide emissions before 2050, in line with the 
        IPCC's guidance on emissions reductions needed to limit 
        warming to 1.5+C.
           Deliver significant health benefits, 
        avoiding an estimated 62,000 premature deaths annually 
        by 2050, primarily by reducing fine particulate matter 
        pollution.
           By 2050, the cumulative estimated health and 
        climate benefits are almost $8 trillion (real 2018 U.S. 
        dollars). In 2050 alone, the estimated health and 
        climate benefits exceed $1 trillion.
    In developing the policy recommendations under each pillar 
below, Congress should implement an inclusive stakeholder 
process that solicits early input and feedback from those most 
affected by the outcomes of the policy choices. In particular, 
Congress should ``meaningfully involve and value the voices and 
positions of EJ frontline and fenceline communities''\8\ and 
labor organizations.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \8\Equitable and Just National Climate Platform, https://
ajustclimate.org/about.html. Accessed June 2020.
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Pillar 1: Invest in Infrastructure to Build a Just, Equitable, and 
        Resilient Clean Energy Economy
    Congress needs to make a deep, sustained commitment to 
rebuild and modernize the nation's infrastructure to reduce 
greenhouse gas emissions and withstand the unavoidable impacts 
of a warming climate. Doing so will create good-paying, high-
quality jobs to expand America's middle class and lay a solid 
foundation for an equitable economy.

 BUILD A CLEANER AND MORE RESILIENT ELECTRICITY SECTOR TO ACHIEVE NET-
              ZERO EMISSIONS FROM POWER GENERATION BY 2040

    Decarbonization of the electricity sector is the linchpin 
of any national strategy to achieve net-zero emissions economy-
wide by no later than 2050. Electrification of key end uses in 
the transportation, buildings, and industrial sectors will be 
essential to cut emissions from those sectors. Electrification 
only works as a decarbonization strategy, however, if the grid 
is as clean as possible as soon as possible. Energy efficiency 
can moderate the expected increase in electricity demand from 
electrification and reduce energy costs for consumers.
    As the electricity grid becomes the central feature of a 
comprehensive climate strategy, its reliability and resilience 
to climate-related threats becomes even more paramount. Recent 
events have shown that the electricity grid is vulnerable to 
climate-related disasters, such as extreme storms that knock 
down power lines, but also can trigger disasters, such as 
wildfires sparked by power lines igniting vegetation in hot and 
dry conditions.
    Policy Toplines: Congress should enact a Clean Energy 
Standard to achieve net-zero emissions in the electricity 
sector by 2040 and an Energy Efficiency Resource Standard to 
smooth out rising electricity demand from electrification and 
save consumers money on their power bills. Congress should 
extend and expand clean energy tax incentives and grant 
programs, such as the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block 
Grant Program, to maximize near-term deployment of energy 
efficiency, renewable energy, and zero-carbon electricity 
sources. For the longer term, Congress needs to invest in 
research and development across technologies, but particularly 
in energy storage. Congress should ensure that low-income 
communities and communities of color have equitable access to 
and benefit from these clean energy resources.
    To fully harness the country's vast renewable energy 
resources onshore and offshore, Congress must direct the 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to develop a long-
range transmission infrastructure strategy to site more 
interstate transmission lines in high-priority corridors. 
Congress also should direct FERC to remove roadblocks in power 
markets that slow the growth of electricity generation from 
clean sources.
    To make the grid more resilient to climate impacts, 
Congress will need to partner with state, local, tribal, and 
territorial governments, utilities, workers, and communities to 
harden the electric grid's physical infrastructure; deploy new 
technologies to detect grid disruptions quickly; and facilitate 
community access to clean microgrids and distributed energy 
resources to make households less reliant on the centralized 
grid.

        BUILD A CLEANER AND MORE RESILIENT TRANSPORTATION SECTOR

    The transportation sector--including cars, trucks, buses, 
airplanes, ships, rail, and other modes--is the largest source 
of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions in the United 
States. Across modes, the story is similar: emissions are a 
function of the vehicle's fuel efficiency, the fuel's carbon 
intensity, and the number of miles traveled each year. Each 
part of the transportation sector, however, is at a different 
stage of zero-emission technological innovation and faces 
unique challenges to decarbonization and, as a result, may 
require a tailored policy approach.
    Well-designed policy should lead to new manufacturing and 
supply chain innovations that create good-paying jobs at home 
and bolster American competitiveness.
    In addition to contributing to the climate problem, 
transportation infrastructure is heavily exposed to extreme 
weather and climate impacts, from floods that wash out bridges 
and roads to heat waves that ground airplanes. Without 
proactive action to build resilience, climate change will 
compromise the reliability and capacity of even the cleanest 
transportation systems.
    Policy Toplines: Congress should expedite deployment of 
zero-emission technologies in the sectors where they are 
already available while making new gasoline- and diesel-powered 
vehicles as clean as possible. This should include setting 
strong greenhouse gas emissions standards for cars, heavy-duty 
trucks, and aviation; enacting a national sales standard to 
achieve 100% sales of zero-emission cars by 2035 and heavy-duty 
trucks by 2040; and providing incentives to build out zero-
emission fueling infrastructure across the country. Ambitious 
initiatives to ensure more domestic manufacturing of cleaner 
vehicles and their components must accompany these policies. At 
the same time, Congress should establish a Low Carbon Fuel 
Standard to reduce emissions from remaining gasoline-powered 
vehicles and transportation modes for which electrification may 
not be an option in the short to medium term, such as aviation, 
long-haul trucking, and shipping. Congress also should invest 
in aggressive research to develop and demonstrate new zero-
emission technologies and fuels for these harder-to-decarbonize 
parts of the transportation sector.
    Cutting pollution from passenger vehicles becomes a more 
challenging task if drivers must travel farther each year to 
access jobs and services. Congress needs to work with local 
communities and states to make housing, businesses, and 
critical services more accessible and double federal spending 
on public transit and other zero-carbon modes to provide 
households with more lower-carbon, convenient, and affordable 
transportation options. Federal policy should ensure that all 
transportation systems are designed, maintained, and repaired 
to withstand climate impacts.

 BUILD AND UPGRADE HOMES AND BUSINESSES TO MAXIMIZE ENERGY EFFICIENCY 
                        AND ELIMINATE EMISSIONS

    Buildings account for 40% of U.S. energy use. To fully 
decarbonize the building sector, new and existing buildings 
must maximize energy efficiency, generate clean energy onsite 
or nearby where feasible, electrify end uses as the grid 
decarbonizes, and eliminate emissions from building 
construction and materials. This transformation will require 
massive investments to reach all communities and the millions 
of U.S. buildings that vary in size, age, climate, purpose, 
ownership, and use. These investments will boost local economic 
development, create good-paying jobs, and improve quality of 
life in communities across the country. The federal government 
must work in partnership with state and local governments, as 
they largely have authority over the design and construction of 
residential and commercial buildings in their jurisdictions.
    Policy Toplines: Congress should incentivize states and 
cities to adopt updated model building codes, including net-
zero-emission building codes, and establish tax incentives for 
the construction of net-zero buildings, with the goal of making 
all new residential and commercial buildings net-zero emissions 
by 2030. Congress should require new federal buildings to 
achieve net-zero emissions by 2030 as well. To reduce energy 
use and emissions from existing buildings, Congress should set 
benchmarking requirements for commercial buildings and 
encourage cities and states to adopt performance-based 
standards for buildings; provide incentives for energy 
efficiency improvements, onsite renewable energy generation, 
and electrification of end uses in buildings, such as space and 
water heating; invest in large-scale weatherization and 
efficiency in low-income and frontline communities; and require 
federal buildings to undergo deep energy retrofits, perform 
energy and emissions benchmarking, and meet ambitious energy 
use and emissions intensity targets. To reduce emissions from 
building construction, Congress should incentivize building 
reuse and require federal buildings to use lower-emission 
building materials.

INVEST IN WATER SYSTEMS TO PROVIDE CLEAN WATER AND PREVENT CATASTROPHIC 
                                FLOODING

    Water systems across the nation are under stress due to 
chronic underinvestment and deferred maintenance, particularly 
in low-income communities and communities of color. The climate 
crisis threatens to increase public health and safety 
emergencies as conditions overwhelm water and wastewater 
infrastructure, levees, and dams. While the investment needed 
is substantial, the costs of continued neglect are far greater.
    Policy Toplines: Congress should establish new standards 
for water infrastructure resilience that account for climate 
impacts, including more frequent and damaging floods, droughts, 
and erosion. Congress also should ensure robust public 
engagement in water infrastructure projects, particularly for 
environmental justice communities whose input should inform 
decisions about how to reduce climate impacts. Congress will 
need to integrate nature-based strategies and apply innovative 
finance approaches to ensure safe and clean water supplies, 
efficient wastewater treatment, and dams and levees that are 
appropriately sited, designed, and maintained to last under 
increasingly extreme conditions.

  PREPARE THE NATION'S TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS FOR CLIMATE IMPACTS

    The reliability of wireless and broadband networks is 
critical for climate resilience. Failures in wireless networks 
hamper disaster response and 9-1-1 services, and uneven access 
to broadband creates a ``digital divide'' that broadens 
existing inequities for frontline and rural communities most 
affected by the climate crisis.
    Policy Toplines: Congress should invest in Next Generation 
9-1-1 and direct the Federal Communications Commission to 
ensure the reliability of wireless communications networks 
during disasters. Congress should expand broadband networks 
with the goal of achieving reliable and universal access and 
providing continuity of internet services for education, 
telemedicine, and other essential needs during disasters.

 PLUG LEAKS AND CUT POLLUTION FROM AMERICA'S OIL AND GAS INFRASTRUCTURE

    Leaky oil and natural gas infrastructure, from well pads to 
pipelines, allows methane, a climate super-pollutant, to escape 
into the atmosphere. Technology exists to detect these leaks 
and even capture the methane for profitable sale. Oil and gas 
production and transmission also pose risks to air and water 
quality but enjoy exemptions from cornerstone environmental 
laws.
    Policy Toplines: Congress should set a national methane 
pollution reduction goal for the oil and gas sector of 65% to 
70% by 2025 and 90% by 2030, relative to 2012 levels, and phase 
out routine flaring of methane. For pipelines, Congress should 
direct regulators to set new standards for pipeline operators 
to detect and repair methane leaks; provide financial support 
for cities and states to eliminate methane leaks from natural 
gas distribution lines within 10 years; and update the Federal 
Power Act to ensure FERC considers climate science and public 
input when siting new natural gas infrastructure. Congress also 
should close exemptions for the oil and gas industry in the 
Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Resource Recovery and 
Conservation Act.
Pillar 2: Drive Innovation and Deployment of Clean Energy and Deep 
        Decarbonization Technologies
    IPCC scientists have shown that the world needs to deploy 
clean energy technologies as quickly as possible to slash 
greenhouse gas emissions and limit warming to 1.5+C. Market 
forces and state and federal policies are driving some clean 
energy deployment already, but substantial public and private 
investment would accelerate this trend. Full decarbonization of 
the economy, however, may require new technologies that have 
yet to be invented. Robust innovation policy at all process 
stages--research, development, demonstration, and deployment--
will be critical to the timely and widespread implementation of 
new clean energy and other decarbonization technologies.
    Policy Toplines: Congress should support all stages of 
climate-related innovation by recommitting to Mission 
Innovation--a global initiative working to accelerate global 
clean energy innovation--and boosting funding for federal clean 
energy research, development, and demonstration; prioritizing 
climate in the Department of Energy's (DOE's) mission and 
reorganizing DOE to meet this goal; facilitating technology 
transfer and commercialization through initiatives like 
regional energy innovation partnerships; and creating a 
national climate bank and expanding the DOE loan guarantee 
program to leverage private investment for deployment of 
decarbonization technologies and climate-resilient 
infrastructure. Congress should start a DOE Energy Justice and 
Democracy program to ensure environmental justice communities 
have access to innovations in energy efficiency and renewable 
energy and to reduce energy poverty. To shift private capital 
toward climate-smart investments, Congress should require 
corporate disclosure and federal analysis of climate-related 
financial risks.
Pillar 3: Transform U.S. Industry and Expand Domestic Manufacturing of 
        Clean Energy and Zero-Emission Technologies
    The world is on the cusp of a manufacturing and industrial 
transformation inspired by the need to deploy zero-emission 
technologies and build cleaner, more resilient infrastructure. 
The United States has an opportunity to establish itself as a 
global leader in this transformation and spur a new generation 
of good-paying, high-quality manufacturing jobs in the process.

          REBUILD U.S. INDUSTRY FOR GLOBAL CLIMATE LEADERSHIP

    The industrial sector may be one of the most challenging to 
decarbonize, given its diversity and reliance on energy-
intensive processes. Eliminating industrial emissions depends 
on the discovery of new technologies and the development and 
deployment of platform technologies, such as industrial 
efficiency, electrification, carbon capture, low-emission 
hydrogen, and materials recirculation and substitution. A 
comprehensive approach to achieve a net-zero-emissions 
industrial sector by midcentury would enhance U.S. 
competitiveness, create high-quality domestic jobs, and ensure 
clean, safe, fair, and equitable industrial development for 
workers and communities.
    Policy Toplines: Congress should establish performance 
standards to guarantee emissions reductions from industrial 
facilities and pair them with border adjustment mechanisms to 
level the playing field with foreign goods made with higher-
polluting processes. To complement these standards, Congress 
should support research, development, and demonstration of 
breakthrough and platform technologies for industrial 
decarbonization, including carbon capture, utilization, and 
storage; provide firms in the industrial sector with access to 
revolving loan funds, grants, and tax incentives for efficiency 
upgrades, process changes, and retooling; develop 
infrastructure for key decarbonization technologies, including 
low- and zero-carbon hydrogen; and create markets for low-
emission goods through a federal Buy Clean program. Congress 
should facilitate the transition to a circular economy that 
eliminates waste and pollution by supporting research and 
development, infrastructure, and standards for materials 
efficiency, substitution, and recycling.

 INVEST IN DOMESTIC MANUFACTURING OF CLEAN ENERGY, CLEAN VEHICLE, AND 
                       ZERO-EMISSION TECHNOLOGIES

    American innovation will be critical to solving the global 
climate crisis, but it is only one measure of U.S. leadership. 
American workers also should be the ones to manufacture these 
American ideas, creating high-quality jobs at home and robust 
export markets abroad.
    Policy Toplines: To spur more domestic manufacturing, 
Congress should create a tax credit to retool, expand, or 
establish domestic clean energy and grid technology 
manufacturing facilities; establish a production tax credit for 
clean energy, energy efficiency, and decarbonization 
technologies and products; expand DOE grant programs and loan 
guarantees to construct new or retool existing U.S. facilities 
to manufacture zero-emission vehicles; and develop national 
strategies for clean technology manufacturing and critical 
mineral supply chains. Congress should tie federal funding for 
innovation to domestic manufacturing of resulting technologies. 
Congress should also leverage federal procurement policies to 
build demand for domestic clean energy and zero-emission 
technologies and products.

DEVELOP, MANUFACTURE, AND DEPLOY CUTTING-EDGE CARBON REMOVAL TECHNOLOGY

    According to the IPCC, all pathways that limit global 
warming to 1.5+C require carbon dioxide removal, such as direct 
air capture, to achieve net negative emissions.\9\ The United 
States has the opportunity to lead the world in developing, 
deploying, and exporting this essential technology.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \9\Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Special Report on 
Global Warming of 1.5+C (October 2018) at 14.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Policy Toplines: To jumpstart a direct air capture industry 
in the United States, Congress should dramatically increase 
federal investment in carbon removal research and development; 
improve financial incentives for direct air capture technology; 
expand demonstration projects to safely store carbon below 
ground; and create markets for fuels made from carbon captured 
from the atmosphere.

Pillar 4: Break Down Barriers for Clean Energy Technologies

    Clean energy technology faces several structural barriers 
to rapid and widespread deployment. At the top of the list is a 
tax code that benefits oil, coal, and other incumbent energy 
technologies over new technologies and an economic system that 
fails to account for the cost of carbon pollution from fossil 
fuel combustion.
    Policy Toplines: Congress should repeal tax breaks for 
large oil and gas companies as a first step toward building a 
fairer tax code that supports reaching net-zero emissions by 
2050 at the latest. Congress also should put a price on carbon 
to correct the failure of the market to account for the costs 
of unmitigated pollution. Carbon pricing is not a silver bullet 
and should complement a suite of policies to achieve deep 
pollution reductions and strengthen community resilience to 
climate impacts. Congress should pair a price with policies to 
achieve measurable pollution reductions from facilities located 
in environmental justice communities and policies to ensure 
energy-intensive, trade-exposed industries do not face unfair 
competition from foreign competitors using dirty technologies.

Pillar 5: Invest in America's Workers and Build a Fairer Economy

    Tackling climate change and reaching net-zero emissions as 
soon as possible offers a unique opportunity to rebuild the 
economy on a stronger foundation of equity and fairness for 
workers and their communities. Smart climate policy must 
provide tangible benefits to economically vulnerable 
communities, put working people front and center, and deliver 
good-paying, high-quality jobs and accessible career pathways 
into them for all Americans. Building a clean energy economy 
can help put unemployed Americans back to work and relieve the 
economic crisis sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic. Congress also 
needs to respect the contributions of coal miners and other 
fossil fuel workers and provide a comprehensive set of systemic 
supports for these workers and their communities.
    Policy Toplines: Congress should secure workers' right to 
organize a union and negotiate for higher wages, safer working 
conditions, and better benefits. As it reauthorizes and 
considers new investments in clean infrastructure, Congress 
should commit federal funding only to projects that meet strong 
labor standards. To support veterans of the coal industry and 
communities most affected by the economic transition away from 
fossil fuels, Congress should establish a National Economic 
Transition Office to coordinate, scale up, and target federal 
economic and workforce development assistance to communities 
and workers.

Pillar 6: Invest in Disproportionately Exposed Communities to Cut 
        Pollution and Advance Environmental Justice

    In the United States, communities of color, low-income 
communities, and tribal and Indigenous communities ``are 
disproportionately burdened by environmental hazards that 
include exposure to polluted air, waterways, and 
landscapes.''\10\ These same communities are more vulnerable to 
the health impacts and escalating costs of climate change. 
Federal climate policy needs to ``improve the public health and 
well-being of all communities while tackling the climate crisis 
and environmental racism head-on.''\11\ Engaging leaders from 
these communities early in the policymaking process and 
soliciting their expertise throughout is essential for ensuring 
the policies will work in their communities and benefit those 
most in need.
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    \10\Environmental Justice for All Act, Section 1.
    \11\Equitable and Just National Climate Platform, https://
ajustclimate.org/about.html. Accessed June 2020.
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    Policy Toplines: Environmental justice must be at the 
center of federal climate and environmental policy. Congress 
should direct the Environmental Protection Agency to consider 
the cumulative pollution impacts of the facilities it permits; 
support federal and academic research of the cumulative and 
distributional impacts of federal climate, health, and 
environmental policy on environmental justice communities; 
prioritize these communities for new federal spending and 
projects to deploy clean energy and replace aging 
infrastructure; collaborate with USDA, tribes, environmental 
justice communities, and NGOs to address food insecurity; 
ensure meaningful federal engagement and consultation with 
environmental justice communities; and increase the capacity of 
environmental justice communities to participate in the 
policymaking process.

Pillar 7: Improve Public Health and Manage Climate Risks to Health 
        Infrastructure

    The impacts of climate change disproportionately affect the 
health of frontline communities and vulnerable populations who 
have fewer resources to cope with heat waves, degraded air 
quality, flash flooding, infectious disease, and other threats. 
People need a robust public health system to rely on for help 
when facing these threats or when hit with a natural disaster. 
Too often, health care systems are not prepared or equipped to 
respond to large-scale events, as demonstrated by the COVID-19 
pandemic.
    Policy Toplines: Congress should direct the Department of 
Health and Human Services to develop a national strategic 
action plan to assist communities and health departments in 
preparing for and responding to climate-related health risks, 
including the health-related needs of frontline communities and 
vulnerable populations that are disproportionately harmed by 
extreme weather, pollution, food insecurity, and other effects 
of climate change. Congress also should increase U.S. support 
for global surveillance and response to potential health 
threats; strengthen supply chains for health commodities; 
expand the capacity of the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention to support state, local, tribal, and territorial 
health departments in their climate-related work; boost funding 
for programs to make health systems more resilient to climate 
impacts; and increase support to address the mental and 
emotional health effects of the climate crisis.

Pillar 8: Invest in American Agriculture for Climate Solutions

    America's farmers and ranchers are critical partners in 
solving the climate crisis, as many agricultural practices can 
provide valuable climate and ecosystems benefits. Climate 
stewardship practices such as no- and low-till farming, 
planting cover crops, diversified crop rotations, rotational 
grazing, and improved nutrient management, reduce emissions, 
enhance carbon sequestration, and make soils more resilient to 
extreme weather. Many farmers interested in adopting these 
practices would benefit from upfront financial and technical 
assistance from the Department of Agriculture, local 
conservation districts, extension services, and land-grant 
universities, including historically black colleges and 
universities and tribal colleges.
    Policy Toplines: Congress should dramatically increase 
investments to support the efforts of America's farmers and 
ranchers to employ climate stewardship practices. This federal 
commitment to farmers should include more funding for Farm Bill 
conservation programs and expanded financial and technical 
assistance to farmers and ranchers, with a focus on climate 
mitigation and resilience. Further, Congress should set climate 
stewardship practice goals across all U.S. farmland and expand 
Department of Agriculture resources, research, and partnerships 
to increase federal capacity to encourage widespread adoption 
of climate stewardship practices. To support the next 
generation of farmers and build a fair, equitable, and climate-
friendly food system, Congress should embed climate mitigation 
and adaptation into programs for new, beginning, and socially 
disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and increase investments in 
these programs. Congress also should incentivize farmers and 
ranchers to incorporate energy efficiency and renewable energy 
on-farm and protect their farmland from development and other 
non-agricultural uses. As part of a comprehensive approach, 
Congress also should support local and regional food systems 
and develop initiatives to combat food waste.

Pillar 9: Make U.S. Communities More Resilient to the Impacts of 
        Climate Change

    The effects of climate change are already manifesting 
across the nation and are projected to intensify, including 
rising temperatures, increasingly severe storms, and damaging 
wildfires. While many communities are taking action to respond 
to these threats, the federal government needs to help them 
better manage land use, adopt robust building codes and 
development standards, and transition away from areas of 
growing risk to safer ground. Bridging the resilience gap will 
require substantial public and private investment and 
incorporation of climate risks into program design and 
priorities to ensure efficient use of funds.

     SUPPORT COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP IN CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND EQUITY

    State, local, tribal, and territorial leaders know 
firsthand the threats posed by the climate crisis to community 
wellbeing. Many have already taken steps to reduce emissions 
and prepare their communities to be more resilient. Federal 
action is needed to support communities that struggle with lack 
of information, guidance, and funding to build local capacities 
and capabilities and to confront the existential threats of 
rising seas, wildfires, and extreme weather.
    Policy Toplines: Congress should establish a National 
Climate Adaptation Program to deliver technical assistance to 
states, local governments, tribes, and territories (SLTT), 
support SLTT planning, and invest in community adaptation and 
resilience projects with meaningful public participation, 
especially for environmental justice communities. Congress 
should establish a Tribal Government Task Force to coordinate 
across the federal government to overcome barriers to 
assistance, build or augment tribal technical capability, and 
ensure equitable baseline funding. Planning and investments for 
climate resilience should build local workforce capabilities 
and provide good jobs for vibrant regional economies.

 BUILD--AND REBUILD--BASED ON ACTIONABLE SCIENCE, CODES, AND STANDARDS

    Governments, businesses, communities, and households need 
reliable information to respond to climate-related risks. 
Building codes and standards should reflect the latest climate 
risk information to ensure greater resilience against floods, 
wildfires, tropical cyclones, and other hazards. Adoption of 
strong codes and standards can increase property values while 
reducing risks and insurance costs.
    Policy Toplines: Congress should establish a Climate Risk 
Information Service to develop localized climate risk 
information and embed climate risk projections in development 
of resilience codes, specifications, and standards. Congress 
should establish federal flood and wildfire resilience 
standards for federally supported activities, including 
investments in climate resilience and disaster recovery. 
Congress should revise the federal tax code to incentivize 
state, local, and private investments in resilience.

     REDUCE CLIMATE DISASTER RISKS AND ACCELERATE DISASTER RECOVERY

    Since 2005, the federal government has spent at least $450 
billion on disaster assistance. Weather disasters and related 
federal spending are expected to increase due to climate 
change. These impacts are hitting low-income households, 
farmers, and traditionally marginalized communities hardest, 
driving a downward trend in livability and social resilience.
    Policy Toplines: Congress must dramatically increase and 
provide stable federal investment in pre-disaster mitigation 
and resilient disaster recovery to strengthen infrastructure, 
support affordable and resilient housing, and help families, 
businesses, and communities that are seeking federal assistance 
to move out of the riskiest areas. Congress also must reform 
federal flood mapping and insurance programs to deliver 
forward-looking projections, help low-income households afford 
flood insurance, and expand coverage to reduce uninsured flood 
losses. Congress should call for a national wildfire mitigation 
strategy and increase federal investment in wildfire resilience 
to reduce the risk of loss of life, property, and natural 
resources to destructive wildfires. In all instances, Congress 
must prioritize investments to assure no one repeatedly suffers 
the impacts of climate change, including frontline communities, 
rural communities, and small businesses.

MAKE CLIMATE RESILIENCE PLANNING AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT OF FEDERAL AGENCY 
                               OPERATIONS

    Climate change is already affecting the operations of every 
agency in the federal government, and the impacts will continue 
to get worse as the planet warms. Federal agencies, from the 
U.S. Postal Service to the Department of Defense, need to plan 
for how they will deliver essential services amidst climate 
disruptions and coordinate that planning with state, local, 
tribal, and territorial partners.
    Policy Toplines: Congress should require climate adaptation 
planning and coordination to address the ways that the climate 
crisis can disrupt federal agencies and their missions and 
operations. Agency adaptation plans need to identify 
opportunities to address climate impacts on environmental 
justice communities and vulnerable populations. Congress also 
should require major government suppliers to disclose 
greenhouse gas emissions and climate risks to their supply 
chains and operations as a consideration for the award of 
federal contracts.

Pillar 10: Protect and Restore America's Lands, Waters, Ocean, and 
        Wildlife

    America's landscapes and natural resources have significant 
potential to sequester carbon, provide important habitat for 
wildlife, and make ecosystems and communities more resilient to 
the impacts of climate change. Ecosystems such as forests, 
grasslands, and wetlands are natural and efficient carbon 
sinks, capturing and storing carbon in roots, plants, and 
soils. To make America's public lands and ocean a net carbon 
sink and a central feature of a comprehensive climate strategy, 
U.S. land management agencies must limit new fossil fuel 
leasing on public lands and waters, increase renewable energy 
production, and maximize deployment of natural climate 
solutions such as reforestation and wetland restoration.

        CAPTURE THE FULL POTENTIAL OF NATURAL CLIMATE SOLUTIONS

    Storing carbon in natural systems is a proven and cost-
effective way to deliver large-scale carbon dioxide reductions 
and improve community and ecosystem resilience. By expanding 
protections for America's lands, waters, and ocean, Congress 
can reverse decades of deforestation, bolster the capacity of 
nature to store carbon, and avert pollution from land 
disturbance and extractive activities.
    Policy Toplines: Congress should establish a national goal 
of protecting at least 30% of all U.S. lands and ocean areas by 
2030, prioritizing federal and nonfederal lands and waters with 
high ecological, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration value. 
Currently, just 12% of U.S. lands and 26% of the U.S. ocean--
primarily marine monuments in the remote Western Pacific or 
northwestern Hawaii--are permanently protected. To achieve this 
goal, Congress should conserve and restore landscapes, natural 
spaces, and America's treasured public lands through high-value 
protection designation and direct federal land management 
agencies to work collaboratively with tribes, state 
governments, private landowners, and local communities. 
Congress should also develop and fund initiatives to ensure 
equitable access to these natural spaces for individuals in 
environmental justice communities.
    Forests and ``blue carbon systems''--including ocean, 
wetland, and riverine ecosystems--are critical carbon sinks and 
provide important resilience services. Congress should protect 
mature and old growth forests; invest in forest restoration, 
reforestation, and afforestation on public and private lands, 
including urban areas to improve urban tree canopy; manage 
wildfire for community safety and ecological health; ensure 
forest management activities focus on climate and biodiversity 
benefits; and protect and restore native grasslands. To 
complete this natural resources restoration work, Congress 
should re-establish the Civilian Conservation Corps. Congress 
also should protect, conserve, and restore ``blue carbon 
systems'' to capture carbon and protect shorelines from 
flooding and storms; scale up responsibly-sited ocean-based 
renewable energy; address ocean acidification and biodiversity 
decline; incorporate climate adaptation into fisheries 
management; and prioritize natural infrastructure for coastal 
resilience.
    Natural climate solutions also protect wildlife and 
endangered species, which face myriad challenges from climate 
change. Congress should create wildlife corridors to facilitate 
migration, range expansion, and mating; direct federal natural 
resources agencies to develop a coordinated landscape-scale 
conservation strategy to help species adapt to a changing 
climate; support efforts by private landowners to protect 
wildlife habitat on their land; and improve implementation of 
the Endangered Species Act in the context of climate change.

      MAKE PUBLIC LANDS AND WATERS A PART OF THE CLIMATE SOLUTION

    Fossil fuel extraction on public lands is responsible for 
nearly a quarter of total U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, making 
public lands a net-emitter of greenhouse gas pollution. A 
comprehensive federal strategy should transform America's 
public lands and waters into valuable carbon sinks and a 
cornerstone of a successful climate plan.
    Policy Toplines: Congress should direct federal land 
management agencies to develop a comprehensive public lands 
climate plan to achieve net-zero emissions on public lands and 
waters by 2040 at the latest. To achieve this goal, Congress 
should impose a moratorium on all new fossil fuel leases on 
public lands while ensuring robust economic development and 
worker transition assistance for communities dependent on 
fossil fuel extraction; prohibit new offshore oil and gas 
leasing in all areas of the Outer Continental Shelf; reduce 
methane pollution from oil and gas extraction; and increase 
renewable energy production. Additionally, Congress should 
protect wild and special places and make them off-limits to 
drilling and mining activities, including America's last 
remaining wild landscapes, irreplaceable cultural sites, 
national parks and monuments, and important wildlife habitat 
and corridors. Congress should also eliminate unfair and 
expensive government subsidies for oil and gas drilling on 
public lands; establish and maintain robust environmental 
review of and bonding requirements for all proposed projects on 
public lands; and reclaim orphaned wells that pose a safety and 
environmental threat.

Pillar 11: Confront Climate Risks to America's National Security and 
        Restore America's Leadership on the International Stage

    The climate crisis is an urgent threat to our nation and to 
global security, as extreme conditions affect defense 
facilities, operations, and personnel. Catastrophes at home and 
abroad increase the need for humanitarian response and aid. The 
climate crisis amplifies geopolitical threats as resource 
scarcity and catastrophic events fuel conflict, mass migration, 
and social and political strife. Federal leadership requires 
coordination across the science, security, and defense 
enterprises to confront threats to military infrastructure and 
operations and global security.
    At the same time, international engagement is crucial to 
addressing the climate crisis. The opportunity to advance 
climate solutions should be a priority for the United States in 
our multilateral, bilateral, international development, and 
humanitarian efforts. A future president committed to climate 
action likely will rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement, but 
Congress also must take steps to ensure that the United States 
continues to support global progress on climate change.
    Policy Toplines: Congress should require consideration of 
climate risks in defense procurement, logistics, and supply 
chains and ensure collaboration in climate adaptation and 
resilience planning among military installations and 
neighboring communities. Congress should direct agencies with 
national defense, homeland security, and science missions to 
identify and confront climate security threats to the homeland 
to safeguard critical infrastructure, protect public health, 
and prepare for climate-driven internal and cross-border 
migration.
    Internationally, Congress should deliver on U.S. financial 
commitments to the Green Climate Fund and should advance clean 
energy and climate resilience in international missions and 
aid, including supporting greater participation of women in 
economic development planning and climate solutions. Congress 
should expand support for stopping deforestation and reducing 
black carbon pollution, two important drivers of climate 
change. Congress also should improve Arctic engagement and 
diplomacy given the rapid environmental changes in the region.

Pillar 12: Strengthen America's Core Institutions to Facilitate Climate 
        Action

    Action on climate change requires robust science and strong 
democratic institutions to foster transparency, inclusion, and 
government accountability.

                       STRENGTHEN CLIMATE SCIENCE

    Climate science is the foundation of national and 
international efforts to address the climate crisis. Scientists 
and educators need strong federal funding support to advance 
efforts to observe, monitor, model, and understand Earth's 
interconnected weather and climate system and to develop the 
next generation of climate scientists and a climate-literate 
public and workforce. Federal agencies also need safeguards to 
protect science from political interference.
    Policy Toplines: Congress should strengthen and sustain 
federal support for climate science, including national and 
international climate assessments, foundational Earth system 
science research, studies of climate impacts on human and 
natural systems, and governance approaches for the risks of 
atmospheric climate intervention. Congress should strengthen 
federal scientific integrity policies and ensure that federal 
agencies act on the best available science. Congress should 
expand and sustain federal support for climate literacy and 
STEM education, with an emphasis on removing barriers and 
broadening participation for underrepresented groups. Congress 
also should revive the Office of Technology Assessment to 
provide Members of Congress with nonpartisan scientific and 
technology expertise.

            ASSESS THE TRUE VALUE OF FEDERAL CLIMATE ACTION

    Members of Congress have access to unique services, 
including the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and 
Congressional Research Service, to help them understand the 
potential impacts of proposed legislation. Many of these 
services, however, are not equipped or resourced to assess the 
technological complexities of climate change solutions or 
calculate the intergenerational costs and benefits of climate-
related legislation. The executive branch faces similar 
challenges when evaluating federal projects against the risks 
of climate impacts, such as flooding and wildfire.
    Policy Toplines: Congress should expand CBO's capacity to 
analyze the fiscal and economic impacts of proposed legislation 
related to climate risk. For the executive branch, Congress 
should establish an interagency working group to update the 
``Social Cost of Carbon'' to reflect the best available climate 
science and direct OMB to work with the National Academies of 
Science, Engineering, and Medicine to improve agencies' ability 
to assess the costs and benefits of projects to improve 
community climate resilience.

            STRENGTHEN THE COUNTRY'S DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS

    All recommendations in this report will be more difficult 
to implement if entrenched interests--those that do not want to 
transition to a net-zero clean economy--continue to have a 
greater say in the political process than average Americans, 
the majority of whom support action to address climate change 
and advance clean energy. State voter discrimination policies 
attempt to suppress the vote of those who are most often 
burdened by pollution and face the greatest impacts from 
climate change--low-income communities and communities of 
color.
    Policy Toplines: In 2019, the House of Representatives 
passed two bills that illustrate the type of change that may be 
necessary to build a healthier, more responsive democracy. H.R. 
1, the For the People Act, tackles three core issues: campaign 
finance reform, voting rights, and federal ethics laws. H.R. 4, 
the Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019, restores the full 
protections of the bipartisan Voting Rights Act to block state 
and local voter discrimination policies.
    Full report available at https://climatecrisis.house.gov/
report and https://docs.house.gov/meetings/CN/CN00/CPRT-116-
CN00-D001.pdf

                                   Kathy Castor,
                                           Chair, Select Committee on 
                                               the Climate Crisis.
                                   Ben Ray Lujan.
                                   Suzanne Bonamici.
                                   Julia Brownley.
                                   Jared Huffman.
                                   A. Donald McEachin.
                                   Mike Levin.
                                   Sean Casten.
                                   Joe Neguse.
                                   
                                   
                                   

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