New members of Congress could resist environmental rollbacks under GOP control
As Republicans reclaim control of the Senate and potentially the House, newly elected pro-environment members of Congress may serve as a check on climate policy rollbacks planned by the GOP and the incoming Trump administration.
Wyatt Myskow, Dennis Pillion, Georgina Gustin, and Phil McKenna report for Inside Climate News.
In short:
- Despite Republican victories, several newly elected members with strong climate advocacy backgrounds are joining Congress, including former state legislators, environmental lawyers, and scientists.
- These new members are expected to defend existing laws like the Inflation Reduction Act, which funds clean energy jobs and infrastructure projects.
- Environmental groups like the League of Conservation Voters and EDF Action are mobilizing to help maintain climate progress despite political opposition.
Key quote:
“What we’re going to see is there won’t be a vulnerability or a penalty for leaning in on and defending the good-paying clean energy jobs that are coming, and I think there will be a penalty to those that want to try to rip them away.”
— David Kieve, president of EDF Action
Why this matters:
With climate policies facing potential cuts, newly elected pro-environment members could help protect current climate initiatives and advocate for clean energy jobs. Their roles may be crucial in limiting regulatory rollbacks and maintaining public support for climate action amid political shifts.
Related: GOP plans major rollbacks of US climate policies if victorious in elections
