WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, members of the Western Caucus released statements denouncing the unveiling of the Green New Deal by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) and Senator Ed Markey (MA):

Chairman Paul Gosar (AZ-04): "The  Green New Deal is another climate change, socialist pipedream that attacks American jobs and our way of life. This extreme proposal revealed today seeks to end domestic flights on airplanes, remove non-electric vehicles from our streets, give more money to those that are unwilling to work, put union bosses in charge of all new energy jobs, eliminate nuclear power and fossil fuels, get rid of cows, as well as provide universal healthcare, housing and education. Democrat socialists made clear today that they want to use climate change as a means to abolish capitalism and implement massive taxation, expropriation and government control. This bill and accompanying FAQs page are so detached from reality that they are already trying to blame ‘farting cows and airplanes’ for unrealistic emissions goals 10 years away. The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money. The problem with the Green New Deal is that the sun doesn’t always shine, the wind doesn’t always blow and with a nearly $22 trillion debt, we don’t have any more money to borrow to pay for this exorbitant fantasy."

House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Republican Rob Bishop (UT-01): "We have yet to see any practical details of how a Green New Deal would operate. The original New Deal did not work until World War Two started and hopefully the historical precedent will not be replicated with the Green New Deal. I guess I need to start looking at cutting back on my air travel now as well as curtailing other daily activities like eating hamburgers.  Energy innovation and American ingenuity have allowed our country to become a global leader, but also a leader in carbon reduction.  Our unmatched free markets will keep the United States at the front of the pack. However, the Green New Deal is a socialist superpackage that could end up bringing a negative impact on jobs without any positive impact on global temperatures.  I hope I wake up out of this twilight zone."

Executive Vice-Chairman Scott Tipton (CO-03): "The Green New Deal is so extreme and poorly thought out that even Speaker Pelosi dismissed it. At a time when U.S. carbon emissions are falling due to market-driven innovation and technological advances, while emissions from countries like China are once more on the rise, the last thing we should do is consider policies that would kill at least one million American energy jobs, put our entire electric grid at risk, completely stifle U.S. innovation, and impose a massive tax increase on hardworking Americans. Instead, we must focus on planning for our future energy needs and implementing an all-of-the-above approach that includes responsible development of all energy resources using the most efficient and modern technological advantages available."

Vice-Chairman for Indian Affairs and Oceans Don Young (AK-At Large): "I have fought for decades to secure the rights of Alaskans to develop energy on their lands as they see fit. Not only will this Green New Deal raise costs and reduce access to the vital energy sources Alaskans depend on, it will also eliminate good paying jobs and limit opportunities for Alaska’s next generation. Alaskans are both responsible energy developers and good stewards of the environment, and a Green New Deal simply won’t work here."

Chief Infrastructure and Forestry Officer Bruce Westerman (AR-04): "Democrats’ Green New Deal is neither green nor a deal. Its provisions would be more aptly represented by the bright red color of socialism, and the resolution is nothing more than a federal overreach and an untenable PR stunt. The most environmentally powerful tools we have are vast forest lands that clean our air, filter our water and provide critical wildlife habitat. Instead of spending our time on extremist roadblocks, why don’t we apply sound science to make our existing forest lands green, vibrant and resilient?"

Chief Regulatory Reform Officer Andy Biggs (AZ-05): "The Democrats’ Green New Deal takes us further to the left of President Obama’s prior war on American energy production. For too many years, the energy industry has faced duplicative and unnecessary regulations that have killed jobs, limited innovation, and resulted in higher energy costs for Arizona families. Thankfully, the Trump administration has reversed much of this overreaching executive action. America must only pursue conservative, free-market solutions that will renew faith in American ingenuity and technological development. To my Democrat colleagues who are endorsing the Green New Deal: I echo President Trump’s statement from the State of the Union Address: 'America will never be a socialist country.'" 

Chief Agriculture and Business Officer Doug LaMalfa (CA-01): "The Green New Deal is so far out of touch with reality, it cannot possibly be taken seriously. The same plan that proposes upgrading or replacing every single building in the country also seeks to eliminate air travel entirely – a trillion dollar industry that employs millions across the country – in favor of high speed rail. The costs associated with this plan would be completely unreachable. Eliminating nuclear power, as this plan proposes, would remove one of our cleanest and most dependable energy sources and would likely lead to increased emissions. This proposal legitimately suggests that we ‘get rid of farting cows’. This isn’t a serious attempt at creating policy or solving problems."

Chief Rules Officer Dan Newhouse (WA-04): "The Green New Deal framework released today demonstrates a polarizing approach to reduce the United States’ carbon emissions that should not be taken seriously by this Congress or by our global partners in this important effort.  It is outrageous to put forth objectives like eliminating the U.S. airline industry, which accounts for 10 million American jobs, or upgrading and replacing every building the United States when our existing infrastructure is already crumbling – especially when the framework calls for ‘massive’ government funding and discourages the private sector investment. As a farmer, I believe we have to be responsible stewards of our land and practice conservation efforts wherever possible. However, attempting to convert to 100% clean and renewable energy sources by ignoring the benefits of nuclear power and without any mention of hydropower, which currently generates about 70% of the renewable and affordable electricity in Central Washington, is not the approach we should be taking."

Republican Study Committee Chairman Mike Johnson (LA-04):"The United States is on a path to energy dominance where our reliance on foreign nations has been reduced and our economy has benefited from a bigger presence in the global market. The so-called ‘Green New Deal,’ would destroy that progress and send America backwards. On top of that, the proposal has the potential to completely eliminate sectors of industry and cost millions of hardworking Americans their jobs. It would be laughable if it wasn’t so terrifying. Republicans have real solutions to help reduce pollution and improve air and water quality that don’t require blowing up the economy and causing millions of people to suffer."

Rep. Ken Calvert (CA-42): "Socialism disguised as radical environmentalism is still socialism. As Democrats admit, the Green New Deal seeks a ‘massive transformation’ of America. The proposal would expand the reach, size and cost of our federal government to levels that would leave our Founding Fathers rolling in their graves. The only conceivable way to fund the Democrat’s Green New Deal government-state is through tax increases on all Americans, including the middle-class. Green New Deal supporters acknowledge it will likely require a carbon tax and that even if they took the revenues of every billionaire and business in the country, it would not be sufficient to fund the plan. If Speaker Pelosi brings the Green New Deal to the House floor, I will proudly vote against this socialist fever dream."

Rep. Ron Estes (KS-04): "The Green New Deal is a massive government takeover of every facet of our lives. This proposal is anything but serious and exposes the priorities of those bent on increasing taxes and expanding the size of government to impose an agenda on every American family, farm and business. Kansans know how to protect our environment and quality of life without being told what to do by government officials in Washington, D.C. and I stand with them in opposing this bill."

Rep. Louie Gohmert (TX-01): "If you need any more proof that these climate change proposals are a complete farce, look no further than the Green New Deal’s plan to eliminate air travel within 10 years. The Democrat leaders in the House and Senate include some of the most frequent fliers anywhere and are chauffeured about in massive SUVs. Perhaps it would be more accurate for them to just come on out and boldly say what they really believe: The Green New Deal should help make the U.S. a socialist country where the poor suffer and only the liberal, self-crowned socialist leaders are allowed to use massive quantities of carbon fuel in planes and big SUVs."

Rep. Morgan Griffith (VA-09): "The framework of the Green New Deal is a radical reshaping of American society in the name of utopian environmental policy. Although the proposals right now are vague and poorly reasoned, their aims are clear: if implemented, they would decimate industries, jack up prices for consumers, and take away choices that rightfully belong to the people of this country. We can care for the environment, reduce carbon emissions, and improve air and water quality without subjecting the country to this disastrous concept."

Rep. Jeff Duncan (SC-03): "The Democrats apparently weren’t listening when President Trump said we would never be a socialist nation. The plan includes proposals like working towards eliminating air travel, to rebuilding every building in the United States, to a complete takeover of massive sectors of our economy. It is one disastrous, radical leap to have the government control every aspect of our lives. This socialist agenda is completely out of step with the American people, and will never have a place in our country. It’s not going to happen."

Rep. Brian Babin (TX-36): “Over the last century we’ve seen socialist governments around the world make the same empty promises of unlimited peace and prosperity if only their citizens would relinquish control of their affairs. The result has inevitably been the same: barren fields, crumbling infrastructure, broken economies, oppressed peoples, and, eventually, fleeing populations. This proposal, as grand in its scope as it absent in its specifics, betrays a shocking naivety and a total absence of understanding of basic economic principles and even our electric grid and infrastructure. Most importantly, the authors of this proposal fail to appreciate the love that the American people share for their freedom. They will never stand for such a radical socialistic restructuring of our economy, and it must be strongly rejected.”

Rep. Markwayne Mullin (OK-02): "The Green New Deal is socialism in its purest and most dangerous form. America is great because we believe in the exact opposite of what it stands for. As energy policy, it is so unrealistic it’s laughable. It manipulates the American consumer with claims of saving the world when it reality, it’ll do nothing but jack up their electricity costs and replace good energy jobs with senseless government jobs. The Green New Deal is reckless, expensive, and quite frankly—impossible."

Kelly Armstrong (ND-At Large): "The Green New Deal is a raw deal for North Dakota and all of America. It’s a ridiculous proposal from beginning to end – from upgrading or replacing every building in the country to eliminating gas engines. North Dakota grows the world’s food and produces the world’s energy, providing good-paying jobs and an honorable way of life to tens of thousands of Americans. This proposal would end North Dakota’s economy as we know it."

Rep. Duncan Hunter (CA-50): "We were elected to preserve and defend freedom, not be the means by which Americans have it taken away."

Rep. Chip Roy (TX-21): "What are House Democrats asking for in the Green New Deal?

•    Mandatory rebuilding of most building in the United States
•    Get rid of almost all engines currently in use  
•    Eliminate air travel
•    Eliminate our current cheap energy sources
•    Free everything
•    Punishing taxes
•    Mandatory union membership

All these requests (and there are more) will explode the national debt and tank the nation’s economy. While this seems like a completely reasonable agenda if you are Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, the American people can do better.”

Background:

Today, the framework of the New Green Deal was unveiled at a press conference with Rep. Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Senator Markey (MA) and a few of their colleagues.  

Click here to watch the press conference. Click here to read the Green New Deal FAQs Rep. Ocasio-Cortez's office provided to NPR.

Click here to read the updated bill containing the new Green Deal framework Rep. Ocasio-Cortez's office provided to NPR. A blog post with FAQ’s posted on Rep. Ocasio-Cortez's website HERE.

Needless to say, there are plenty of interesting policy goals that are being proposed both in the bill and in the summary released by Rep. Ocasio-Cortez. Here are the top 10:

1. The GND plans to “Upgrade or replace EVERY BUILDING in the US for ‘state-of-the-art’ energy efficiency.”
2. The GND seeks to “Totally overhaul transportation by massively expanding electric vehicle manufacturing, build charging stations everywhere, build out highspeed rail at a scale where air travel stops becoming necessary, create affordable public transit available to all, with goal to replace every combustion-engine vehicle.”
3. The Green New Deal seeks to eliminate nuclear power and all fossil fuels within 10 years. “The plan is to transition off of nuclear and all fossil fuels as soon as possible…If it is possible to get to fully 100% renewable in 10 years, we will do that.”
4. A goal of the GND is providing all people of the United States with high-quality health care; affordable, safe, and adequate housing; economic security; and clean water, clean air, healthy and affordable food, and access to nature.”
5. The GND seeks to “ensure that all GND jobs are union jobs that pay prevailing wages and hire local.”
6. The Green New Deal seeks “to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from every sector of the economy” and get the US to net-zero emissions by 2030.
7. The GND seeks to provided “education to all.”
8. The Green New Deal seek to provide “economic security for all who are unable or unwilling to work.”
9. “A carbon tax may be a part of the Green New Deal.”
10. Authors of the bill plan to pay for the GND the “same way we paid for the New Deal, the 2008 bank bailout…all our current wars…by the Federal Reserve extending credit…by creating new public banks that extend credit…by the government taking an equity stake in projects.”
    

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