@drvox This is an important thread. Whether there is progress on climate change in the next two years depends on who gets the key jobs in the House. This is as good a place as any to make a couple of points. 1/
@drvox I begin w/ an assumption that @NancyPelosi will be the next speaker. That's not based on an assessment from DC. Its based on watching her be minority leader and Speaker in the past. She gets ‘er done. She knows how to work with her caucus and lead them in challenging times. 2/
@drvox @NancyPelosi If you care about climate change, you will be happy if she is speaker. There are many examples both routine and heroic where she achieved the improbable to better protect the environment. 3/
@drvox @NancyPelosi For example, you can read about the critically important role she played in 2007 in protecting EPA’s and California’s authority to regulate carbon pollution (in nauseating detail) here: law.uoregon.edu/images/uploads… 4/
@drvox @NancyPelosi Having a speaker that cares about climate change is enormously important, but its not the only job that matters. 5/
@drvox @NancyPelosi The enthusiasm that AOC and other new members are bringing to Congress is great. Anything that increases the possibility of greater ambition on climate change is a good thing. They're having an impact now and their impact will grow as they learn more about how Congress works 7/
@drvox @NancyPelosi Having said that, people should not get wedded to the details in her proposed resolution. Some of them might need to be refined. 8/
@drvox @NancyPelosi For example, the resolution could be read to take legislative jurisdiction from at least 7 committees: Energy & Commerce, Ways and Means, Science, Transportation and Infrastructure, Education and Labor, Agriculture, Natural Resources 9/
@drvox @NancyPelosi That would be a mistake. The new chairs of these Committees are all experts in their areas with many years of substantive and institutional knowledge. They also have staff that understand the agencies and industries that fall under their jurisdiction. 10/
@drvox @NancyPelosi They'll foresee & avoid countless problems that well-intentioned members & staff new to an area might stumble into. Responding to climate will require the involvement of these people. Sidelining them will result in a worse product not a better one. And a lot more infighting.11/
@drvox @NancyPelosi There is an important role for a select committee on climate change to play in lighting the way for Congress with hearings and policy development. But asking them to craft the legislation is too much of a burden on them and the system. 12/
@drvox @NancyPelosi The best thing that could happen over the next two years would be to get all of these Committees and their chairmen on a unified vision of addressing climate change, so Congress could potentially be in a position to act after the next presidential election. 13/
