Susan Ferrechio of the Washington Examiner looks into the political path for the proposed Green New Deal.
Sixty-seven House Democrats have signed onto the “Green New Deal” resolution offered by rising star Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and they’re all pushing for a vote on the House floor.
But it’s not clear whether or when House Democratic leaders will schedule one.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., hasn’t promised it will get time on the floor, and as of last week, she hadn’t even read the ambitious resolution.
House Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern, D-Mass., who helps to determine the floor schedule and debate rules, said leaders would wait to see how many lawmakers sign on to the bill before deciding whether to bring it to the floor.
“Let’s see how the co-sponsorship goes,” said McGovern, who supports the resolution.
McGovern said Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., has not yet asked for a floor vote “because we are trying to get co-sponsors and see where people are, but my hope is it will come to the floor.”
McGovern said if enough Republicans and Democrats sign onto the resolution, it could come up under special rules limiting debate and requiring two-thirds majority for passage.
That isn’t likely, however. Most Republicans have have denounced the the plan as unrealistic and astronomically expensive and full of ideas that would destroy the U.S. economy.
The measure is nonbinding, which means it would only “recognize the duty” to create a “Green New Deal.” It outlines a broad proposal that would require upending the U.S. economy in the coming decade in order to drastically cut carbon emissions.
