U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan today voted against what they described as costly and impractical “Green New Deal,” a resolution introduced in the House by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), and in the Senate by Senator Ed Markey (D-MA).
Murkowski, who chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and serves on the Appropriations Committee, spoke on the Senate floor in advance of the vote, turning her remarks toward the more practical, pragmatic steps Congress can take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Murkowski emphasized areas where Congress has made progress in supporting policies to reduce emissions: increased funding for the research and development of clean technologies, expanding the tax credit for carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration, and passage of bills to promote more emissions-free hydropower and nuclear energy.
She called for reducing domestic and global emissions by developing clean resources, including renewables, and announced plans to introduce a bipartisan bill for advanced nuclear reactor concepts.
Murkowski asked her fellow lawmakers to commit to bipartisan solutions that support innovation and promote efficiency.
“The only way we are going to be moving is if we move together,” she said. “That’s what we’ve got to do here in Congress. We’ve got to take these policies that can keep us moving to lower emissions, to address the reality of climate change, to do so all the while that we are recognizing that we’ve got an economy that we need to keep strong, that we have vulnerable people that we need to protect, that we have an environment that we all care about—Republicans and Democrats. And it’s not just the environment in our states or our country, but it’s our global environment. How we’re working forward, together, is a priority— or should be a priority for us all. My hope is we get beyond the rhetoric, the high-fired rhetoric and we get to practical, pragmatic, bipartisan solutions.”
Sullivan linked the health of Alaskans to the responsible resource development in their state.
“As Alaskans can attest, there is a strong correlation between poverty, the lack of economic opportunity, and the health of our citizens,” said Senator Sullivan. “Responsible resource development historically has lifted whole communities out of poverty and lengthened life expectancy.
“I cannot support a proposal that would place such an absurdly large tax burden on American taxpayers and, at the same time, seek to vanquish whole industries that so many Alaskans and Americans rely on to support their families. I thank my colleagues who had the courage today to show where they stand on this truly radical effort to upend our country and its economy,” he said.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell called the resolution up for a vote today, and it failed 0-57. Forty-three senators in the Democratic minority, including the dozen senators who originally co-sponsored the resolution, voted “present,” rather than giving the resolution any credence.
Did Murkowski have to think on this for days and days? Did she cry alligator tears late at night fretting over the decision? Did she offer to trade places with a Democrat in an effort avoid having to go on the record?
Just wondering why she didn’t see a need to put on a big show this time?
Scott. That was a “big show” for Murkowski. At least a “big show” of not voting for the asinine “new green deal”. She knows that is an automatic loss. If the vote was even close, she would never vote with her supposed party. That would make her a republican. She’s happy as a pig in slop to be a rino. That’s her real calling. I can hardly even write that name, I’m so unhappy with her. I really hope enough Alaskans feel the same way to get rid of that one in 2020. That would be a great service for Alaska and Alaskans.
Murkowski’s comment say it all she does not care about Alaskans welfare at all. She is the eminence of a Rino. Ben Colder she doesn’t come up for reelection until 2022. She put money ahead of what is good for Alaskans and the livelihood of our State.
She is also banking on the entitlement vote getting her re-elected. It’s all about money, power and keeping the position. Nothing to do with what is best for our state and citizens.
It is easy to glom onto the no-brainer stuff and make the right choice. But, Lisa’s constituents, at least the Republicans that voted her into office, can see right through the BS. AOC’s own party is moon-walking away from her “green deal” so Lisa’s lack of support for it really means nothing to me. She needs to show some b*lls on the tough decisions. She has failed so far. I’m banking she is going to retire in 2022. There is no way she can be elected as a Republican.
Can’t wait to see her voted out of office.
Senator Murkowsi’s comments reveal that she understands little about the sources of greenhouse emissions in the world. US emissions have been in decline for a number of years. The largest sources of emissions are, by far, China and India. The US could eliminate ALL emissions – and destroy our economy – and world emissions would likely still rise. If Senator Murkowski was serious about climate change she would support a cold blooded reexamination of the actual sensitivity of the climate to carbon dioxide increases. The work of Curry and Lewis suggests that the relationship is overstated yet the climate models still use the likely faulty formula.
None of this is fashionable if your goal is to kill oil companies and institute State socialism and renewables. And none of this is discussed at Georgetown or Yale.
Lisa didn’t vote for it? Unbelievable!
Folks, just remember, she’s just a “politician” which means she sells her vote to the highest bidder. She doesn’t apply any common sense, logic, and/or reason …. Or, leadership for that matter. We really need a more responsible Senator that represents: 1) Republican values, 2) Alaskan issues, 3) as well as work with the President to help support his agenda too. She has failed on all three accounts. She’s Gotta-Go!!!
Why all the Lisa haters coming out over such a trivial matter? Or did she do something behind the scenes not so trivial? All this hate has Russia and China economic warfare written all over it.
Hate Lisa all you want. She’s still going to get more votes than anyone the haters can offer.
I don’t see this as a “hate Lisa” issue. I don’t hate Lisa. I’m going to bet my next check that most of the folks in this forum don’t hate her either. It is called disagreeing. However, you seem to be displaying the “go to” word of liberals (don’t know if you are one or not, but …) and that word is “hate”. You can’t have black rifles around liberals and they call you a racist and a hater.
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And, it is not a trivial matter. What the “matter” is, is that Lisa doesn’t represent Alaska in the manner in which she was elected. She has been false to her original word of an elected Republican. That, my friend, is not a trivial matter.
voted “present,” WTF is that? Vote yes or no you gutless wonders.
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