House Dems Promise to Hold Climate Change Hearings Early Next Year

POLITICS--Democrats in the House of Representatives say they plan to hold a series of hearings about climate change over two days at the beginning of next year. The announcement comes from the ranking members of House committees on Energy and Commerce, Natural Resources, and Science, Space, and Technology. 

The three representatives—Frank Pallone of New Jersey, Raúl Grijalva of Arizona, and Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas—released a statement saying: "Our rapidly changing climate, and the Trump administration's efforts to take us in the wrong direction, seriously jeopardize our future. We plan to hit the ground immediately with a series of hearings early in the next Congress on how best to combat this growing global crisis." 

Since Democrats gained a majority in the House during the mid-term elections, they've been expected to focus on climate change mitigation and preparation. Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-California), the current minority leader in the House, told the New York Times that she would urge her colleagues to re-form a climate change committee the House had before Republicans took the majority. 

Then, on Tuesday, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a newly elected representative from New York who is known for her liberal stances, led a demonstration in Pelosi's office, (photo above) demanding strong action on climate change. 

"Should Leader Pelosi become the next Speaker of the House," Ocasio-Cortez said during the event, "we need to tell her that we've got her back in showing and pursuing the most progressive energy agenda that this country has ever seen."

(Francie Diep is a staff writer at Pacific Standard, where she specializes in health and drug policy and the intersections of culture and science. Previously, she covered science, health, and science policy for Scientific American, Popular Science, and Smithsonian.) Prepped for CityWatch by Linda Abrams.