Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) announced last week the formation of a new task force they hope will unite Senate Democrats behind the goal of enacting comprehensive climate change legislation.
More details on the group’s membership and priorities are expected in the coming days, but the senators told reporters last week that the effort will begin with a series of press conferences, floor speeches, engagements with outside groups and promotion of climate-related legislation. The extent the senators may focus on water-related climate issues is unclear, but the group could offer a good forum in which to raise the issue.
This is not the first group of congressional Democrats working to highlight climate change issues. Last year, for example, Sen. Whitehouse and Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) launched the Bicameral Climate Change Task Force, and Waxman also leads the Safe Climate Caucus, a group of House Democrats who discuss climate change issues on the House floor. Sen. Boxer, meanwhile, co-chairs a Senate clearinghouse that provides expert briefings for senators on climate science.
The topic will also take center stage on Capitol Hill this Thursday when EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy is expected to testify before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on President Obama’s Climate Action Plan.