A group of 10 Republican lawmakers recently called on Congress to act on climate change. Led by congressman Chris Gibson, R-N.Y., the resolution titled “Expressing the commitment of the House of Representatives to conservative environmental stewardship,” is an unprecedented move of conservative leadership.
Released on the eve of Pope Francis’ visit to the United States, Rep. Gibson is poised to answer the call for bipartisan action. Pope Francis addressed Congress on the salience of preserving the earth for future generations.
“This conversation is key to the preservation of our great country for generations to come, as important as ensuring we have fiscally responsible policies to secure our future,” Gibson said in a press release.
Climate change is no longer a fringe issue, and while there are still those in national leadership positions who continue to deny its existence, their numbers are shrinking. A poll this year sponsored by The New York Times, Stanford University and the organization Resources for the Future found that 48 percent of Republicans would be less likely to vote for a candidate who denies the existence of climate change.
As Gibson and Pope Francis lend their voice to the growing call for action, we begin to see why the issue of climate change no longer belongs on the fringe. Climate change is a faith issue. It is an economic issue. It is a moral issue. It is an issue of national security, and now it is a Republican issue. In truth, it belongs to all of us.
Far too often we see partisan politics get in the way of congressional action in Washington. With the introduction of this resolution, we have a unique opportunity to call for our representatives to do their jobs and discuss the issues at hand.
It is time to call on our own Republican representative, Scott Tipton, to show bold conservative leadership, and join the 10 Republicans who are already supporting Gibson’s resolution. It’s time for Colorado to put the conserve back in conservative.
Scott Greenler
Durango
