Rep.-elect Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) is backing Democratic colleague Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (D-NY-14) “Green New Deal” proposal that would force “100 percent of national power generation” on to “renewable sources.”
“The science is clear—we need urgent action on climate change now. Actually, we needed it 15 years ago. Now we’re running out of time,” Omar tweeted Monday, offering an endorsement of her colleague’s sweeping proposal.
The science is clear—we need urgent action on climate change now. Actually, we needed it 15 years ago. Now we’re running out of time.
Time to get past the hurdles, and realize that the #GreenNewDeal is critical to our future on this planet.https://t.co/rvcQwOp7Kb
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) November 20, 2018
“Time to get past the hurdles, and realize that the Green New Deal is critical to our future on this planet,” she added.
Ocasio-Cortez’s proposal, which can be read in full on her website, calls for the establishment of a new House select committee tasked with drafting legislation that would make the country entirely “carbon neutral” while removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.
“The select committee shall have authority to develop a national, industrial, economic mobilization plan for the transition of the United State economy to become carbon neutral and to significantly draw down greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and oceans and to promote economic and environmental justice and equality,” the proposal begins, calling for several specific pieces of legislation.
Under the plan, Omar and Ocasio-Cortez want “100 percent of national power generation” to come “from renewable sources,” and hope to build a “national, energy-efficient ‘smart’ grid.” It also calls for “funding massive investment in the drawdown and capture of greenhouse gases.”
But the proposal also addresses several economic issues that have become a hallmark of Ocasio-Cortez’s political career, including demands for a “job guarantee program to assure a living wage job to every person who wants one.”
The Green New Deal also includes plans for “basic income programs,” “universal health care programs,” and “any others as the select committee may deem appropriate to promote economic security, labor market flexibility and entrepreneurism.”
Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN-04) later indicated that she supports the Green New Deal after meeting with students from the Sunrise Movement.
“I am proud to stand with them in support of reinstating the U.S. House Select Committee on Climate Change and I pledge to continue working to transform our economy and society to stop the climate crisis,” she wrote.
Wonderful meeting with students @Sunrisemvmt. I am proud to stand with them in support of reinstating the US House Select Committee on Climate Change and I pledge to continue working to transform our economy and society to stop the climate crisis. #GreenNewDeal pic.twitter.com/8ombcinFQf
— Rep. Betty McCollum (@BettyMcCollum04) November 20, 2018
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Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of The Minnesota Sun. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected]
