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Climate Change and the Environment

Bonamici, Posey, Beyer, Mast Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Advance Blue Carbon, Protect and Restore Coastal Ecosystems

| Posted in Press Releases

Today Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Congressman Bill Posey (R-FL), Congressman Donald S. Beyer Jr. (D-VA), and Congressman Brian Mast (R-FL) introduced the bipartisan Blue Carbon for Our Planet Act. The legislation is designed to capture the power of our ocean and estuaries for effective climate mitigation, strengthen federal research on blue carbon, and protect and restore…

Bipartisan Bill to Improve Military’s Energy Security Included in NDAA

| Posted in Press Releases

U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today announced that bipartisan legislation to improve the U.S. military’s energy security and reduce carbon emissions has been included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conference agreement approved by the Senate.  The Securing Energy for our Armed Forces Using Engineering Leadership (SEA FUEL) Act would direct the Departments…

Beyer Introduces Cleaner, Quieter Airplanes Act

| Posted in Press Releases

Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) today introduced the Cleaner, Quieter Airplanes Act, legislation that would bolster NASA’s efforts to reduce emissions from the aviation industry while also reducing the impact of airplane noise in airport-adjacent communities. “The Cleaner, Quieter Airplanes Act would address climate change and noise pollution from aircraft, two of the most persistent problems I…

Roll Call: Study shows growing ocean damage as protection bills languish

| Posted in Articles

Study shows growing ocean damage as protection bills languish BY ELVINA NAWAGUNA - 12/11/2019  As lawmakers push legislation to protect the nation’s coastal waters, scientists are placing much of the blame for degrading ocean conditions on emissions from large energy companies including Exxon Mobil Corp., which was cleared Tuesday in a long-running climate court…

Safe Climate Caucus Co-Chairs’ Statement and Resolution on the Four-Year Anniversary of the Paris Climate Agreement

| Posted in Press Releases

Reps. Alan Lowenthal (D-CA) and Don Beyer (D-VA), co-chairs of the Congressional Safe Climate Caucus, today issued the following statement on their introduction of a resolution celebrating the fourth anniversary of the signing of the Paris Climate Agreement: “The climate crisis is the existential threat of our time. It impacts every facet of our economy, the environment, our national…

The Hill: How Congress can take action on climate change today

| Posted in Opinion Pieces

How Congress can take action on climate change today BY REP. DON BEYER - 11/25/2019 (OP-ED) The president’s recent decision to pull out of the Paris agreement, the international climate agreement by which each nation voluntarily committs to addressing climate change in their own country, is an intentional choice to bury his head in the sand. We can’t ignore reality, and we don’t…

Beyer Introduces Ambitious Electric Vehicle Legislation

| Posted in Press Releases

Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) today introduced the Green Vehicle Adoption Nationwide (VAN) Act, which would provide tax credits for the purchase of zero-emission heavy vehicles. The text of the bill was also included in Rep. Mike Thompson’s Growing Renewable Energy and Efficiency Now (GREEN) Act, a comprehensive renewable energy tax credit package crafted by the House Ways and Means…

House Delegation Introduces Humane Cosmetics Act

| Posted in Press Releases

Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) today led a bipartisan House delegation including Reps. Vern Buchanan (R-FL), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Ken Calvert (R-CA), and Tony Cárdenas (D-CA) in reintroducing the Humane Cosmetics Act. The legislation would end safety testing of cosmetic products on animals and prohibit the sale of products developed using animal testing. Senators Martha McSally (R-AZ) and Cory…

New Democrat Coalition Statement on Trump’s Decision to Begin the Withdrawal Process from the Paris Climate Accord

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President Trump announced the United States will begin the withdrawal process from the Paris Climate Accord, leaving America as the only nation to abandon the global effort to combat climate change. New Democrat Coalition (NDC) Chair Derek Kilmer (WA-06) and NDC Climate Change Task Force Co-Chairs Don Beyer (VA-08), Elaine Luria (VA-02), Sean Casten (IL-06), and Susan Wild…

Congressional Safe Climate Caucus Calls On President To Remain In Paris Climate Agreement

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Congressmen Alan Lowenthal (CA-47) and Don Beyer (VA-08), co-chairs of the Congressional Safe Climate Caucus, are calling on the Trump Administration to remain in the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change. In a letter to President Trump, the Members wrote, “As members of the Safe Climate Caucus, we write to express the importance of the United States maintaining its commitment to the…