American “ingenuity, innovation, and exceptionalism” should be harnessed to study the causes of global climate change and implement “private and public solutions” to mitigate the effects, according to a non-binding resolution introduced in the House of Representatives on September 17.
While modest in scope, H.Res. 424 is notable for the fact that it is supported by a group of House Republicans – lawmakers not traditionally known for initiating calls for action on climate change.
Sponsored by Rep. Chris Gibson (R-N.Y.), the resolution would express “the commitment of the House of Representatives to conservative environmental stewardship.” The resolution, which if passed would not have the force of law but instead only put the House on record on the issue of climate change, goes on to list several reasons why the changing climate demands a response from the U.S. government. Several water-related effects of climate change are highlighted in the resolution, including more frequent extreme precipitation and water scarcity events, worsening flood and drought cycles, rising sea levels, degraded water quality, and “rapid storm water runoff that leads to costly infrastructure projects.” If left unaddressed, the consequences of a changing climate “have the potential to adversely impact all Americans...saddling future generations with costly economic and environmental burdens…” the resolution states.
In addition to Rep. Gibson, the resolution’s ten cosponsors have a reputation of being from the moderate wing of the Republican party; nine of the ten hail from states along the East or West coasts. So while not indicative of a dramatic change in thinking on climate change among congressional Republicans, H.Res. 424 demonstrates that the issue can have some resonance among moderately conservative lawmakers.
H.Res. 424 is not expected to receive a vote in the House of Representatives. However, in any event, if it did pass the chamber, as a non-binding resolution it would change no existing laws or promise further legislative action. Nevertheless, AMWA plans to reach out to supporters of the resolution to offer further education on the effects of climate change on water resources and explore additional opportunities to address the issue on Capitol Hill.