R Street mocks Senate climate “talkathon” as hypocritical
WASHINGTON (Mar. 10, 2014) – The R Street Institute today mocked the Senate Democrat “talkathon” on climate change as a publicity stunt. Though R Street is unique on the right in acknowledging climate change and proposing conservative solutions to address it, the group derided the Democratic display as hypocritical given their vote just two weeks ago to gut reforms to the National Flood Insurance Program.
“Any rational response to climate change must start by ending taxpayer handouts for behavior that exacerbates its impact. Senate Democrats failed that test by voting almost unanimously for a bill gutting flood insurance reform,” said Andrew Moylan, senior fellow at R Street. Legislation passed by both the Senate and House of Representatives would delay or completely repeal several sections of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 directing FEMA to end subsidized rates for homes sold or mapped into flood zones.
“If senators are serious about addressing the negative impacts of climate change, they would not have voted to continue subsidies for those living in areas that would bear the brunt of rising sea levels,” Moylan continued. “They missed a rare opportunity to cast a vote that was pro-environment and pro-taxpayer and no gabfest on the Senate floor can change that.”
Moylan concluded by noting the peculiar sight of Democrats decrying inaction in a chamber they control. “Rather than pursue a thoughtful agenda, they chose instead to re-break the flood insurance program and mug for C-SPAN’s cameras mere weeks later.”
