Climate change has been a highly divisive issue in Congress. The Inflation Countermeasures Act was hailed as “the most significant climate change measure in American history” and would provide nearly $400 billion to combat climate change. Congress passed the bill along partisan lines in 2022, with no Republicans voting for it.
According to voting data collected by the League for Environmental Voting, Democrats voted in favor of environmentally friendly bills more than 90% of the time in 2023. Republicans voted in favor of environmentally friendly bills less than 5% of the time.
But polls show support for climate change policies in conservative districts.
According to data from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, about two-thirds of Americans are “worried” about climate change. Nearly eight in ten Americans support funding for renewable energy research, and three in four support carbon emissions regulation. Two-thirds believe Congress should do more to address climate change.
Even in Jack County, Texas, where Donald Trump won 90% of the vote in 2020, 58% support carbon emissions limits, the lowest rate of any county in the US.
So why is there such a disconnect between the American people and Congress?
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