Following Rep. Kurt Schrader’s votes against President Biden’s climate agenda in the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Evergreen Action Executive Director Jamal Raad released the following statement:
“While Oregon reels from record-breaking heat waves and a devastating wildfire season, Rep. Kurt Schrader voted to block President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda, and sided with Republicans and his fossil fuel industry benefactors against the vital investments that Oregonians need to fight climate change.
“Just this summer, 116 Oregonians died during the heat dome event, a tragic loss of life that underscores the urgency of the climate crisis we face. In fact, since 2020, four billion-dollar climate disasters have struck his state, destroying homes, wiping out crops, and producing hazardous air quality that affected millions. Rep. Schrader’s sabotage is hurting Oregonians—he should stop fighting on behalf of his top donors in the fossil fuel industry and instead take action to protect the lives and livelihoods of his constituents by supporting the final passage of the Biden climate agenda.”
The record-breaking heat dome event that struck the Pacific northwest made headlines this summer and exemplifies the dangerous, billion-dollar climate impacts that Rep. Schrader’s constituents are facing. Since 2020, three other climate disasters hitting Oregon have cost tens of billions in lost revenue and damages:
- The February 2021 winter storm and cold front impacted large swaths of the country. From Oregon to Texas to Illinois, millions of Americans felt the impacts, and the cost of the event surpassed $20b, making it the most costly U.S. winter storm event on record.
- Wildfires across the West last fall broke records and burned over 10.2 million acres. Oregon had historic levels of damage with 2,000 structures burned and weeks of hazardous air quality produced by the thick smoke.
- Finally, for much of last summer and fall, Oregon was hit with continuous drought and record-breaking heat waves. The drought dried out vegetation, providing ready fuel for wildfires and impacted crops and livestock.
While his state has been battered by repeated climate-fueled disasters, Rep. Schrader took in $98,000 in contributions from the oil and gas industry during the 2020 cycle—making the industry his top source of campaign cash. Now, he’s standing in the way of climate action at the expense of his constituents.
About Evergreen Action
Evergreen Action was founded by a group of former Gov. Jay Inslee for America staffers and supporters who came together in 2019 on a mission to elect a new president to build support for an all-out national mobilization to defeat the climate crisis. Evergreen is leading the fight to put bold climate action at the top of America's agenda, implement an all-out mobilization to defeat climate change and create millions of jobs in a clean energy economy. We empower climate and community leaders, and advocate for policymakers to adopt the urgent climate policies that science demands.
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