Washington (February 14, 2019) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), co-author of the Green New Deal Congressional resolution with Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), blasted Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) today after he announced he will bypass regular order and introduce Senator Markey’s Green New Deal resolution as his own.

“Leader McConnell thinks the Green New Deal is just a resolution, but the Green New Deal is a revolution.

“The Green New Deal has struck a powerful chord in this country, and it is igniting the movement of young people who are ready to make this the organizing issue for their generation. And with a mission to save all of creation by investing in massive job creation, the Green New Deal is the kind of generational commitment we need to transform our economy and our democracy.  

“But by calling for this cynical vote, Republicans want to block the public hearings. They want to block the expert testimony of scientists who will detail the devastation of inaction. They want to block the clean energy solutions that threaten their fossil fuel backers. They want to block this historic debate and continue to deny the science of climate change. Most of all, they want to block this movement of activists and advocates and leaders who are demanding bold action on climate change. We cannot allow Leader McConnell and the Republican caucus of climate deniers to dictate and quash a national debate whose time has come.

“I thank Senators Schumer, Whitehouse, and Schatz for joining this effort to take action on climate change and make this issue a priority for the United States Senate. Republicans, climate deniers, and the fossil fuel industry will end up on the wrong side of history for their opposition to the resolution and the Green New Deal movement.”

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