Ocasio-Cortez, Sanders call for Congress to declare climate change an emergency

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez teamed up with Sen. Bernie Sanders on Tuesday to demand that Congress declare climate change a national emergency. “This is a political crisis of inaction,” Ocasio-Cortez said in a press call announcing her new House resolution. “It’s going to take political will (and) political courage in order for us to treat this issue with the urgency that the next generation needs in order for us to preserve our way of life and in order for us to preserve our planet as much as we possibly can.” The freshman rep said the House resolution — and companion one that presidential candidate Sanders will introduce in the Senate — is the first step to enacting “sweeping” reforms to slash greenhouse gas emissions. “We have less than 12 years,” Ocasio-Cortez said of the time left to “fully enact a global solution.” The largely symbolic resolution would state that global warming caused by humans has created a “climate emergency” that urgently impacts the health, safety and security of the United States, according to a draft. While not specifically allocating funds or outlining a prescription, the resolution demands a massive-scale mobilization of resources, much like Ocasio-Cortez’s Green New Deal plan. The liberal pols, joined by climate activists on the call, say President Trump gave them the idea for the action when he declared a national emergency at the border with Mexico...MORE