Two New Peacocks

In response to the news that Republicans David Schweikert (AZ-06) and Rob Woodall (GA-07)  have joined the Climate Solutions Caucus, RL Miller of Climate Hawks Vote responds: “Schweikert is joining because he thinks climate science is folklore, and Woodall is joining to push a different kind of folklore — nuclear, dams, and biofuel. This effort to reboot a failed caucus shows, again, that the Climate Solutions Caucus’ only standards are that its members be politically vulnerable, have a pulse, and be arguably human.”

Schweikert has called climate science “folklore” and questioned how much of climate change is due to natural cycles. He has signed the Americans For Prosperity “no carbon tax” pledge and is a member of the House Freedom Caucus.

Woodall strongly supports the continued development of fossil fuels, but contends that existing renewable technologies such as solar and wind are “legacy renewables that still can’t compete on their own after decades of federal support” (from his website). Instead, he wants to promote unproven and risky technologies requiring even more federal support — nuclear, hydroelectric, and biofuels — which he labeled, on June 12, 2019, an “all of the above” energy strategy. In the well established tradition of climate peacocks who don’t care about climate change but join the Climate Peacock Caucus to beef up skimpy bipartisan credentials, he defeated Carolyn Bourdeaux by only 433 votes in 2018 and will face an equally tough race in 2020.

Schweikert and Woodall both have strongly anti-climate vote patterns. Recent votes include votes for the GOP tax cut bill that opened the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling (HR 1, 2017) and for Steve Scalise’s anti-carbon tax resolution (H. Con. Res. 119, 2018). On June 20, 2019, both voted to poison American children with mercury (Schreier amendment to H.R. 3055). Both even voted with Scott Perry to strip language from a defense authorization bill (HR 2810, 2017) directing the Department of Defense to prepare for climate change (the amendment failed, and the Climate Solutions Caucus takes credit for organizing opposition). Both vote with Trump — Schweikert 89.7 of the time, Woodall 98.4 percent of the time.

“The Climate Solutions Caucus has been a disgrace since its founding. This iteration is just another summer sequel, and it will flop,” adds Miller. “These two new peacocks are flashing the same tailfeathers as others that voters have rejected.” Climate Hawks Vote targeted, and helped to defeat, Carlos Curbelo, prior leader of the Climate Peacocks.

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