The Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change is co-chaired by Rep. Henry A. Waxman, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Rep. Ed. Markey, and Senator Ben Cardin.  The purpose of the task force is to focus congressional and public attention on climate change and to develop effective policy responses to this urgent challenge.

In January, the Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change wrote to over 300 businesses and organizations, soliciting their views on actions the federal government could take to reduce carbon pollution and strengthen our resiliency to climate change.  Today, the Task Force released the responses they have received from six faith organizations: the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs; the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops; the Friends Committee on National Legislation; the Evangelical Environmental Network; the National Council of the Churches of Christ; and Interfaith Power and Light.

Every two years, the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) releases its High Risk List, identifying the areas that pose the highest risk to the U.S. government.  Today, GAO announced that for the first time, it is adding the fiscal exposure resulting from climate change to the High Risk List.  In designating climate change as a high risk, GAO recognized that climate change threatens to inflict huge costs on the U.S. taxpayer, including damage to physical infrastructure, increased insurance liability, and disaster relief.  

Ranking Member Waxman Interviewed on C-SPAN's Washington Journal on Climate Change Policy

Feb 11, 2013

Today, the co-chairs of the Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change, Rep. Henry A. Waxman and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, wrote to over 300 businesses and organizations, soliciting their views on actions the federal government could take to reduce carbon pollution and strengthen our resiliency to climate change.  The members have called for ideas for action that can be taken using the Administration’s existing authority as well as ideas that might need congressional approval.  The members wrote to groups representing a wide range of key stakeholders, including industry, labor, nongovernmental organizations, academia, business and trade associations, and faith-based and public health groups.

As their first order of business, Task Force Co-Chairs Rep. Henry A. Waxman and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, joined by Rep. Ed Markey, sent a letter to President Obama applauding his recognition of climate change in his inaugural address, pledging to stand with him in the fight to address this issue, and urging him to develop a comprehensive climate change plan as expeditiously as possible.

Following President Obama’s recent statement in his inaugural address that failing to respond to the threat of climate change would “betray our children and future generations,” Rep. Henry A. Waxman and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse today announced the formation of a bicameral Task Force on Climate Change to address this important issue.