The three House Democrats who have announced they are running for Senate in California are proponents of far-left actions to combat climate change and have endorsed the multi-trillion-dollar Green New Deal.
The Democrats — Reps. Barbara Lee, Katie Porter and Adam Schiff — have supported aggressive policies to transition the U.S. grid from traditional fossil fuel sources to green energy like wind and solar power, argued for massive spending packages that would rapidly achieve such a transition and backed so-called environmental justice measures. The three have all recently entered the race to replace retiring Sen. Dianne Feinstein and are currently the highest-profile candidates.
According to the League of Conservation Voters, a left-wing Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group that tracks how lawmakers vote on environmental and climate issues, Schiff has a 98% lifetime score while Lee and Porter boast 97% lifetime scores. The high scores indicate the three have a long track record of supporting measures backed by the far-left organization.
“From the devastating wildfires in my home state of California to the snowstorms in my birthplace of Texas, there’s no denying that the climate crisis is here, and the threat to the safety and economic security of our communities is growing by the day,” Lee said after cosponsoring the Green New Deal alongside Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., in April 2021.
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“In order to ensure a healthy and safe future for our children and grandchildren, the federal government must invest in bold policies that address the climate emergency head on, especially in communities of color and low-income communities that have experienced generations of environmental injustice,” she added. “Our solutions must match the scale of the crisis—that’s why I’m proud to support the Green New Deal.”
Lee’s congressional website further states that fighting climate change is a top priority for her, noting that she has fought oil companies and is working to ensure “good-paying jobs created by the growing green energy sector are open to all, especially people of color, women and veterans.”
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Lee also joined a congressional delegation to a United Nations climate conference in Egypt late last year where she reaffirmed her commitment to giving billions of taxpayer dollars to the international “Green Climate Fund” and warned the “window is closing fast” on saving the planet.
Porter has also been a vocal proponent of far-left climate proposals and signed on to the Green New Deal after she worked to strengthen “pro-worker provisions” in the legislation.
“Congresswoman Porter has fought to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for cleaning up after they drill, in addition to advocating for a future powered by clean energy,” Porter’s website states. “Congresswoman Porter is taking action to accelerate our transition to clean energy and make the United States a leading green economy.”
“She is a proud member of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition, which advocates for policies that promote renewable energy, address climate change, and create good green jobs.”
Porter has also repeatedly attacked the fossil fuel industry for its supposed “misinformation campaigns.” In August, she introduced legislation that would remove taxpayer-funded subsidies from oil companies that were used to help the industry market products, saying “it’s bad enough these corporations poison the planet.”
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And Porter made headlines during an October 2021 hearing where she blasted oil executives over how much federal land their companies have leased. In a live demonstration, Porter used candy and rice to show how much land the companies controlled.
“When you lobby and sue so that you can take more of our public land, you’re saying too much is never enough,” Porter stated. “The American people are tired of this charade.”
Finally, Schiff is the only candidate of the three Democrats to list climate change as a key issue on his campaign website. He argues in favor of the Green New Deal which he was an original cosponsor of, major new green investments, developing a “green economy” and leading the world in clean energy development.
“Climate change is real, our planet is on fire, and we must act. Now,” he states on his website. “That seems like common knowledge, but half of our country’s political structure still refutes that simple truth. And worse, refuses to act on it.”
“The Green New Deal is not just a bold plan for addressing climate change and beginning to right the ship, it also is an urgent call to invest in growing a modern, green economy that is equitable and just for all,” he adds.
On Wednesday, he introduced legislation that would create a sustainable investment fund for federal employees that avoids oil, pharmaceutical tobacco investments. He said the bill would help federal workers use investments to boost “sustainable practices that will help combat the climate crisis.”
He also slammed Republicans for passing legislation that would rescind a Biden administration rule allowing fiduciaries to factor environmental considerations into Americans’ retirement accounts, an action opponents have argued could significantly harm the interests of customers by placing social priorities over financial interests.
