Climate Solutions Caucus

Climate Solutions Caucus
Co-Chairs	Andrew Garbarino (R) Chrissy Houlahan (D)
Founded	February 8, 2016 (2016-02-08)
Ideology	Centrism[1]
Political position	Center[2]
Seats in the House Democratic Caucus	29 / 212
Seats in the House Republican Caucus	29 / 222
Seats in the House	64 / 434
Seats in the Senate Democratic Caucus	7 / 51
Seats in the Senate Republican Caucus	6 / 49
Seats in the Senate	13 / 100
Website
climatesolutionscaucus-garbarino.house.gov www.coons.senate.gov/climate-solutions-caucus/
Politics of the United States Political parties Elections

The Climate Solutions Caucus is a bipartisan caucus of U.S. legislators supported by the Citizens' Climate Lobby whose members work to achieve action addressing the risks from climate change. The House of Representatives and Senate each have a caucus.^[3] The House caucus was founded in February 2016, during the 114th Congress, by Representatives Carlos Curbelo (R-FL) and Ted Deutch (D-FL).^[3] The Senate Caucus was founded in 2019 by Senators Mike Braun (R-IN) and Chris Coons (D-DE).^[4]

On November 27, 2018, House caucus members Ted Deutch (D-FL), Francis Rooney (R-FL), Charlie Crist (D-FL), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and John Delaney (D-MD) introduced the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (HR 763), which would implement a national carbon fee and dividend.^[5] It had also been introduced in the Senate in 2018 as S. 3791.

The 2018 midterm elections illustrated a growing partisan divide over climate, and one third of incumbent Republican members of the Caucus, including co-chair Curbelo, lost their seats.^[6] One study concluded that this showed limited value for GOP members in pursuing bipartisan climate action.^[7]

The House caucus went partially dormant after the 2018 elections, relaunching in 2023 with leaders Andrew Garbarino and Chrissy Houlahan.^[6]

The House Caucus web site describes the Caucus as "working together to combat climate change while also protecting the economic prosperity of the United States. This is a group dedicated to building a constructive dialogue about climate change, economics, energy, and conservation among Members of Congress, global leaders, environmental organizations, and business leaders."^[8]

Membership of the caucus is restricted to consist of equal representation of Republicans and Democrats.^[9] After the 2018 United States House of Representatives elections for the 116th Congress this rule was loosened,^[10] but strict balance was restored again in 2023 in the 118th Congress.^[6] In the 118th Congress, the 66 members were as follows:^[3][11]

The Senate Climate Solutions Caucus was announced by Senators Mike Braun (R-IN) and Chris Coons (D-DE) on October 23, 2019.^[12] The two Senators wrote in an op-ed announcing the caucus:

Today, we are launching the Senate Climate Solutions Caucus, a bipartisan group of senators who, like the Americans we serve, believe Congress should play a central role in guiding America's 21st century energy economy and addressing the challenge of a changing climate. Our caucus seeks to take the politics out of this important issue. Instead, members will commit to an honest dialogue, through which we can develop solutions that solidify American environmental leadership, promote American workers, and make meaningful progress on protecting our environment.^[13]

The Climate Solutions Caucus in the Senate is bi-partisan, the rules of the caucus require that new members may only join with a member of the opposite party to ensure that the number of Democrats and Republicans stays the same. All actions by the caucus require unanimous agreement among the members. The caucus membership for the 116th Congress is as follows (independent Angus King (I-ME) caucuses with the Democrats):

• Citizens' Climate Lobby
• Friends Committee on National Legislation
• Problem Solvers Caucus