House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi has officially tabbed Florida Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor to head the new Select Committee On Climate Change that will begin work after Democrats take the majority on Jan. 3.
Installing the committee has been a top priority for Democrats, and Pelosi has faced pressure from her left flank to nominate a progressive. The liberal congresswoman from Tampa seems to fit those criteria. (RELATED: OPINION: Efforts To Fight Climate Change Are In Trouble)
The Select Committee on the Climate Crisis and a new generation of leaders in Congress – who understand the scientific imperative – will tackle the crisis head on.
Failure is not an option.
— US Rep Kathy Castor (@USRepKCastor) December 28, 2018
“It is with great enthusiasm that I appoint Congresswoman Kathy Castor as the Chair of our new Select Committee on the Climate Crisis,” Pelosi said in a statement. “Congresswoman Castor is a proven champion for public health and green infrastructure, who deeply understands the scope and seriousness of this threat.”
Likely the next Speaker of the House, Pelosi created a similar panel on climate change the last time Democrats were in the majority from 2007-2011. That committee was dissolved after Republicans took power following the 2010 midterms.
Castor’s experience on climate-related issues is extensive. She and fellow Democratic Rep. Charlie Crist wrote an open letter calling for the United Nations to bring their climate change conference to Tampa Bay, Florida, earlier this month. Castor also formed a climate change coalition with the University Of South Florida earlier this year, aimed at developing ideas on combating rising sea levels and flooding.
Castor has represented Florida’s 10th district since 2007. She is also a member of the Energy and Commerce committee.