Coalition Letter: Oppose Any “Green New Deal” Legislation

October 8, 2019

The Honorable Mitch McConnell United States Senate
317 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510

Senator McConnell:

On behalf of millions of taxpayers and consumers across the country, the undersigned groups urge you to oppose any “Green New Deal” legislative language buried inside unrelated legislation. Virtually every provision of the Green New Deal, ranging from trillions of dollars in new spending to onerous rules on automobiles and airplanes, would be disastrous to households and businesses across America. The U.S. economy needs abundant, low-cost sources of energy, not bank-breaking regulations that make it more difficult for Americans to live their lives.

Earlier this year, members of the U.S. Senate introduced a resolution, S.J. Res. 8, calling for the creation of a radical, ill-thought-out “Green New Deal.” This complete and unrealistic overhaul of the U.S. economy would have devastated hardworking American families. According to the American Action Forum, the plan would cost Americans anywhere from $51.1 trillion to $92.9 trillion, or $316,010 to $419,010 per household, over ten years.

Not surprisingly, the Senators who proposed this preposterous resolution refused to support the measure when it was brought to the floor. A motion to invoke cloture and proceed to consideration of the Green New Deal failed by a vote of 0-57. None of the resolution’s sponsors supported it.

Normally when such imprudent policy ideas meet such a resounding defeat in the U.S. Senate, it means that these ideas will be relegated to the dustbin of political debate. Unfortunately, many members of Congress who refused to support this plan on the Senate floor are currently devising strategies to implement provisions of the Green New Deal by attaching them to important pending legislation.

We write to express our strongest opposition to the inclusion of any provision of the Green New Deal in related or unrelated legislation. Important measures to support American troops, fund the government or maintain economic growth must not be imperiled by ill-considered policies from a fringe resolution. Energy policy deserves dedicated legislation that offers policies that would lower costs for Americans. Removing senseless restrictions on drilling and fracking and repealing existing “renewable” mandates are just two possible paths toward greater energy affordability and increased choices for consumers. Congress should also pursue dedicated legislation that repeals wasteful government “clean energy” programs that subsidize boondoggles at significant expense to taxpayers.

American consumers deserve an abundance of options to heat their homes and fuel their vehicles. Sneaking Green New Deal provisions into unrelated legislation would only lead to higher costs and undermine transparency in government. We urge the Senate to oppose any attempt to hold meaningful bills hostage in order to enact the misguided Green New Deal.

Sincerely,