Legislative Background on the Green New Deal
Recent Action by Congress on Climate Change Proposals
The last time Congress considered major legislation to address global warming was in June 2009, when the House of Representatives, by a vote of 219 to 212, passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act. The bill proposed a system under which the government would set a limit on the total amount of greenhouse gases that could be emitted nationally. Companies could then buy or sell (trade) permits to emit these gases, primarily carbon dioxide. The bill never came to the Senate floor for a vote. Introduction of the Green New Deal On February 7, 2019, Senator Ed Markey (MAD…
