Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN), Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
WASHINGTON, D.C., June 4, 2020 — Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN), Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) have introduced a bipartisan bill called the Growing Climate Solutions Act. According to the senators’ press release, the bill “will break down barriers for farmers and foresters interested in participating in carbon markets so they can be rewarded for climate-smart practices.”
Farmers have the potential to play a major role in mitigating climate change. They are also the backbone of America’s food supply, and they have suffered as COVID-19 has upended every step of the way we get food on our tables. This bill will help farmers and forest landowners financially, while incentivizing them to make their operations more sustainable.
Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL), with grassroots volunteers numbering nearly 190,000 worldwide, applauds the senators for putting this bill forward. “In times like these, Americans need to see that our elected leaders can work together to solve our biggest problems,” said Danny Richter, CCL’s Vice President of Government Affairs. “This bill is a good example of productive bipartisan effort on climate.”
Sen. Braun said, “As a Main Street Entrepreneur and conservationist, I know firsthand that if we want to address our changing climate then we need to facilitate real solutions that our farmers, environmentalists and industry can all support, which this bill accomplishes.” He co-founded the bipartisan Senate Climate Solutions Caucus, which Sen. Graham and Sen. Stabenow joined earlier this year. Sen. Stabenow also serves as the ranking member on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. Sen. Whitehouse has long been an outspoken member of the Senate on the issue of climate change.
At CCL’s upcoming June lobbying push, citizens around the country will meet with their members of Congress. “Our volunteers from across the country, many of whom come from farming communities, are excited to help build more support for the Growing Climate Solutions Act,” said Mark Reynolds, CCL Executive Director. “On lobby days later this summer and fall, our volunteers will ask their senators to support this bill.”
Statements from the bill’s cosponsors:
- Sen. Stabenow: “While farms and forests have been uniquely impacted by the climate crisis, they can also be an important part of the solution. Our bipartisan bill is a win-win for farmers, our economy and our environment by providing new economic opportunities to store carbon while also addressing the climate crisis.”
- Sen. Graham: “As Americans we have the ability to come up with climate solutions that can benefit our economy and our way of life. The United States has long been a leader in innovation. This legislation is an opportunity to put our knowledge and can-do spirit to work to promote business opportunities for the agriculture industry while promoting the protection of our environment.”
- Sen. Whitehouse: “Make no mistake, this is a breakthrough, and it signals a broader move coming on climate in this country. America can and should lead the world to safety, for all our citizens, for our atmosphere and oceans, and for generations to come.”
CONTACT: CCL Communications Director Flannery Winchester, , 615-337-3642
