What is the Green Real Deal

Republicans grabbed ahold of the national energy debate on April 3^rd when Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz introduced the “Green Real Deal,” a GOP response to the increasingly unpopular Green New Deal. The resolution was cosigned by Florida Congressman Francis Rooney. Congressman Gaetz’s new energy resolution arrives as conservative leaders are looking to refocus their messaging on the future of America’s energy industry.

During a press conference Congressman Gaetz held for the occasion, he spoke to the fundamental changes that the energy sector is undergoing and how to address the challenges of a changing climate.

“If we do not reduce global carbon emissions, if we merely export pollution, in service of our own virtue signaling, then we will not have done anything real to protect our beautiful planet. Being the world’s fool or patsy, will not combat climate change. Unilaterally disarming the American economy, through crushing regulations, will empower Washington, but few others. Our rise in global leadership on climate, must be fueled by American innovators and I have a plan to support them,” said Gaetz during his announcement.

The Green Real Deal presents a comprehensive package of market-driven clean energy solutions to empower the energy market, rather than restrictive legislation meant to strong arm industries into paths that would prove to be unpopular—and ultimately burdensome for the American taxpayer. The resolution argues for an “all of the above approach” to clean energy generation while also highlighting the need for enhanced R&D, carbon capture and sequestration, and recycling programs.

Congressman Gaetz’s plan draws on capitalism as the driving force behind transitioning the national energy sector to clean alternatives. By using innovation, competition, and the free market, the Green Real Deal gives energy players the flexibility to reduce emissions by using the best technology available on the market, as well as the ability to transition to clean power by making it available and affordable.

What is the Green Real Deal

The Green Real Deal is a conservative response to the unrealistic Green New Deal Resolution. The Green Real Deal stresses the need for, and effectiveness of, free-market solutions to address carbon emissions and subsequently climate change. The resolution argues for an “all of the above approach” to clean energy generation while also highlighting the need for enhanced R&D, carbon capture and sequestration, and recycling programs. Read it in its entirety here: H.Res.288

What Others Are Saying

American Conservation Coalition: “Republicans need to be involved in climate and environmental discussions. We applaud the leadership of @mattgaetz and support his efforts regarding the Green Real Deal.”

Advanced Energy Economy: “While positioned as a direct counter to the Democrats’ gambit, the Green Real Deal offers numerous ideas that rely on using advanced energy technologies to provide reduction in carbon emissions. Notably, the resolution calls for “eliminating regulations that hinder or slow the deployment of advanced energy, and creating a regulatory climate to encourage the use of clean, renewable, and innovative energy” technologies. We applaud this, as AEE has long advocated for technology-neutral wholesale markets that allow all resources to compete based on price and performance.”

Business Council for Sustainable Energy: “Recent proposals including the Green New Deal, Congressman Paul Tonko’s Framework for Climate Action, and Congressman Matt Gaetz’s Green Real Deal are a good start to a much-needed federal legislative discussion on how to address climate change and its associated environmental, economic, and social impacts. Recent hearings in both the House of Representatives and the Senate have already shown that this can be a productive, bipartisan conversation.”

Former FL Rep. Carlos Curbelo: A #GreenRealDeal is exactly what our country needs. @mattgaetz is making the debate about solutions, not science. That’s important. – Matt Gaetz pushes Republican climate change proposal ‘Green Real Deal’

Citizens Climate Lobby: “[email protected], thanks for taking #climatechange seriously. Please consider carbon pricing, like the #EnergyInnovationAct cosponsored by Republican @RepRooney, as part of Green Real Deal. @zcolman”

Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions: “Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions applauds Representative Gaetz (R-FL) for spearheading a resolution that highlights the need for actionable, bipartisan climate solutions. A Green Real Deal is another example of Republicans taking the lead in pursuing legislative solutions that champion capitalism over socialistic cronyism.”

“Along with Senator Alexander’s (R-TN) “New Manhattan Project”, Senator Murkowski’s (R-AK) Nuclear Energy Leadership Act, and Representative Elise Stefanik’s (R-NY) Renewable Electricity Tax Credit Equalization Act, Representative Gaetz’s Green Real Deal is a prime example of Republicans advancing solutions that enjoy bipartisan support and address the challenges we face with our climate and environment in an actionable, pragmatic, and practical way.

“Now is the time for Congressional Republicans to create a mantle for America’s businesses and consumers to engage in that results in a cleaner environment while growing jobs and the economy, maintaining our energy independence, and securing our nation, rather than a mandate that harms the American economy. CRES strongly encourages members of Congress to join Representative Gaetz in advancing a conservative vision that benefits America’s economy, environment, and national security for generations to come.”

Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions: “Congressman Gaetz deserves to be applauded for taking the lead in crafting a bold resolution that identifies actionable climate solutions that will benefit America’s economy, environment, and national security. Republicans must continue to champion solutions to further emission reductions, including grid modernization, regulatory reform, tax incentives and greater investment in clean energy research, development and deployment that will enable industry and the power of the free market to innovate and move more quickly. We call on members of Congress to join Congressman Gaetz in creating a conservative vision to combat climate change that includes clean energy advancements.”

Conservative Energy Network: “The Conservative Energy Network (CEN) applauds Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) for introducing the Green Real Deal and opening up the conversation about clean energy production in the United States. Until now, Democrats have monopolized the conversation surrounding this issue, but the introduction of the Green Real Deal is a positive step in creating meaningful, bipartisan discussion. “The Green Real Deal is a far better option to support our nation’s clean energy transition than the ill-conceived Green New Deal,” said Mark Pischea, President of the Conservative Energy Network. “This is an issue that conservatives can contribute to with free-market solutions that protect ratepayers and expand electricity competition. CEN has already seen conservative states like Texas secure the economic and quality-of-life benefits clean energy can bring. We hope this resolution encourages other conservative policymakers to take on clean energy initiatives that encourage innovation and entrepreneurship.”.”

republicEn: “Floridians get it. Thanks, @mattgaetz for suggesting a Green Real Deal to combat #climatechange. The #ecoright would love to talk to you about a #carbontax being part of that plan: https://www.republicen.org/alerts/gaetz-working-on-green-real-deal … #ecoright”

republicEn // former U.S. Rep. Bob Inglis (R-SC): “Mr. Gaetz’s Green Real Deal shows that Republicans can put their free-market principles to good use in solving climate change, and that there are plenty of meaningful decarbonization policies that will attract bipartisan support and thus may actually be achievable by the 116th Congress…Climate change is an urgent problem that demands urgent responses that harness the power of capitalism to deliver rapid technological change. Rep. Gaetz and other conservative lawmakers are shattering the do-nothing orthodoxy that Republicans adopted during the Great Recession. This is conservative climate leadership, and we should all celebrate together that a new day is dawning in climate politics, and it’s not too late for America to lead, and to win this thing for the sake of our kids and grandkids.”

Third Way: “If Republicans are willing to start with innovation, and actually fight to significantly increase federal investments, there’s no good reason not to take them up on that.”

Jigar Shah: “There is an acknowledgement by the author (of the Green Real Deal) that wind and solar tax credits really did work and bring the cost down. If Republicans were to announce in a full-throated fashion, not just that the federal government has a role in R&D which they’ve always been for, but that the federal government has a role in reducing the cost of technology deployment through some of these tax credits – that would be a huge shift in their stance.”

Katherine Hamilton: “I don’t see it as an alternative, you have really progressive ideas in the House right now, having Republicans offer other ideas is a healthy thing. You have to have something that gets bipartisan support – even having them at the table at all is great. I’m glad they’re there and hope they can get some bipartisan bills done, and that the Republicans as well as Democrats will be able to shape those.”

Stephen Lacey: “There is a lot of good stuff in there, stuff that any progressive plan would include. The reaction I’ve seen is mostly been a cynical one on the left, because of the Republican party’s history of climate denial and climate skepticism. Nobody, or very few people, wants to take these policies seriously. But, if you want to dig into these documents themselves, given they are not that detailed – about as detailed as the Green New Deal plan – there’s a lot of good stuff in there – but it feels like we’re missing a lot of it because of the politics, and the reaction against Republicans.”

Stephen Lacey: “Call me naïve, call me a mealy-mouth moderate, but when someone comes out with a plan, with some legitimately good points… I don’t care what end of the spectrum that person is on, or the history of what the Republican party has done in respect to climate, I’m going to praise that plan and say that’s something to work from. I have not seen that from very many people. That bums me out, that we are in this place where we can’t create a safe space for Republicans to actually present plans.”