March 13, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 45 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session
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The Green New Deal (Executive Session); Congressional Record Vol. 165, No. 45
(Senate - March 13, 2019)
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[Pages S1811-S1812] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] The Green New Deal Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, desperate to distract from the $93 trillion price tag of their so-called Green New Deal, the Democratic leadership here in the Senate has been coming down to the floor to claim that Republicans are ignoring climate change. On February 14, the Democratic leader came to the floor and said: ``Since Republicans took control of this Chamber in 2015, they have not brought a single Republican bill to meaningfully reduce carbon emissions to the floor of the Senate. Not one bill.'' That is a quote from the Democratic leader just a month ago. That would be news to me, and I think it would be news to some Democratic Senators here, as well. On January 14 of this year, for example, the President signed into law the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act. That legislation, led by Republican Senator Barrasso and cosponsored by both Republicans and Democrats, paves the way for new advanced nuclear technologies, which will help further reduce carbon emissions. Here is what the Democratic ranking member of the Environment and Public Works Committee had to say about this bill: Nuclear power serves as our nation's largest source of reliable, carbon-free energy, which can help combat the negative impacts of climate change and at the same time, foster economic opportunities for Americans. . . . This is another important step in our fight against climate change. That is from the Democratic ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Let me repeat that. ``This is another important step in our fight against climate change.'' That is coming from a key Democrat on a key committee that deals with this issue. That is not a Republican talking; that is the Democratic ranking member of the Environment and Public Works Committee. Then, of course, there is the Furthering Carbon Capture, Utilization, Technology, Underground Storage, and Reduced Emissions Act. Granted, that is a fairly long title. Several Republicans are original cosponsors of that. It became law as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. The FUTURE Act, as it is referred to, extends and expands tax credits for facilities with carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration technologies, which are referred to as CCUS technologies. Here is what the Clean Air Task Force had to say about this legislation: [T]he U.S. Congress took a landmark step by passing one of the most important bills for reducing global warming pollution in the last two decades. That is a quote from the Clean Air Task Force and what they had to say about that legislation. Then there is the Nuclear Energy Innovation Capabilities Act, led by Republican Senator Mike Crapo, which [[Page S1812]] became law in September. This legislation will help support the development of advanced nuclear reactor designs, which will increase America's supply of clean and reliable energy. Here is what the junior Democratic Senator from Rhode Island had to say about this legislation: Partnerships between the private sector and our world-class scientists at national labs will help bring new technologies forward to compete against polluting forms of energy. . . . I am proud to have worked with Senator Crapo to get this bipartisan energy legislation over the finish line. Here is what the junior Democratic Senator from New Jersey had to say: Reducing our carbon emissions as quickly as possible requires prioritizing the development and commercialization of advanced nuclear reactors, which will be even safer and more efficient than current reactors. Passage of this legislation will provide critical support to startup companies here in the United States that are investing billions of dollars in these next generation reactor designs. Here is what the Democratic whip himself had to say: I was proud to join Senator Crapo on this bipartisan bill. I could go on. I could talk about the 2018 farm bill, which, in the words of Earth Justice, contains ``a number of provisions that incentivize more climate-friendly practices.'' I serve on that committee. I was involved in the conservation title and the drafting of that, including a number of provisions in there. I could talk about the provision in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 to ensure the completion of our first two new nuclear reactors in a generation, which will prevent 10 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually; or the extension of wind and solar clean energy tax credits; or the bipartisan America's Water Infrastructure Act, which will help advance hydropower projects--a significant source of emission-free energy. Suffice it to say that Republican Senators have passed more than one bill to protect our environment and help America achieve a clean energy future, and we are not stopping here. So why all the misdirection on the part of the Democrats? I am sure Democrats think it is politically advantageous to portray themselves as the only party that is invested in clean energy. Then, of course, Democrats are desperate to distract from the details of the $93 trillion Green New Deal that their Presidential candidates have embraced. That is right--I said $93 trillion. One think tank has released the first estimate of what the Green New Deal will cost, and the answer is between $51 trillion and $93 trillion over 10 years. That is an incomprehensible amount of money. For comparison, the entire Federal budget for 2019 is less than $5 trillion. The 2017 gross domestic product for the entire world, the entire planet, came to $80.7 trillion--more than $10 trillion less than Democrats are proposing to spend on the Green New Deal. Ninety-three trillion dollars is more than the amount of money the U.S. Government has spent in its entire history. Since 1789, when the Constitution went into effect, the Federal Government has spent a total of $83.2 trillion. That is right--it has taken us 230 years to spend the amount of money Democrats want to spend in 10. Even attempting to pay for the Green New Deal would devastate working families, who would be hit with incredibly high new taxes. Let's be very clear about this. This is not a plan that can be paid for by taxing the rich. Taxing every family making more than $200,000 a year at a 100-percent tax rate for 10 years wouldn't get Democrats anywhere close to $93 trillion. Taxing every family making more than $100,000 a year at a 100-percent tax rate for 10 years would still leave Democrats short of $93 trillion. Of course, the amount of money we are talking about, as horrifying as it is, is just one negative aspect of the Green New Deal. Democrats' Green New Deal is a full-blown socialist fantasy that would put the government in charge of not just energy but healthcare and all the other various aspects of the American economy. One of the Green New Deal's authors posted and then deleted a document from her website noting that the Green New Deal would provide economic security for those unable or unwilling to work. That is right--in the Democrats' socialist fantasies, apparently the government will provide you with economic security if you are unwilling to work. Let's hope there are enough willing workers to fund those who are unwilling to work. After all, that $93 trillion has to come from somewhere. It is no wonder that Democrats are trying to change the subject when it comes to the Green New Deal. They don't want to have to defend the specifics of their plan because their plan is, frankly, indefensible. If the Democrats would like to have a serious discussion about energy, they should repudiate the unfathomably expensive Green New Deal and join Republicans in focusing on ways to secure a clean energy future without devastating the economy or bankrupting working families. Mr. President, I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll. The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll. Mr. BURR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
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