House Democrats Respond to GOP Climate Change Distortions

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House Democrats are hitting back against GOP distortions of climate change legislation and, more specifically, an MIT study on which we’ve reported extensively.

Earlier today Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA)–chairman of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming–released a report on Republican energy and climate distortions called “Wrong in so many ways.” The document (which can be read here) addresses four common Republican arguments about climate change legislation, including the controversy over the MIT study:

Rep. Boehner and others don’t mention that revenues from a carbon pollution control program could be returned to consumers, or used to invest in clean energy jobs and cost-saving energy efficient technology. So it focuses on all the costs and ignores the benefits. It’s just more of the same, tired arguments from a party out of ideas on energy policy.

Markey enjoys a lot of authority on the issue. In addition to the select committee, he also chairs the House Subcommittee on Energy and Environment and, in that role, has co-authored a major climate bill with Energy and Commerce chair Henry Waxman (D-CA).

But in case that isn’t enough firepower, Markey enjoyed the support of Rep. Rob Andrews (D-NJ) who, on the floor of the House earlier today, took on Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) when Ryan began to sound more false alarms. We’ll have the video up momentarily.

Late update: Video below.

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