ared Huffman represents California’s 2nd Congressional District which spans the North Coast of the state, from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border, and includes Marin, Sonoma, Mendocino, Humboldt, Trinity, and Del Norte counties. He was first elected to Congress in November 2012 and currently serves on the Committee on Natural Resources, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. In the 117th Congress, he chairs the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans and Wildlife, with jurisdiction over federal water projects, fisheries management, coastal zone and oceans policy, and wildlife and endangered species. Jared also founded the Congressional Freethought Caucus to promote sound public policy based on reason, science and moral values, while protecting the secular character of government and championing the value of freedom of thought worldwide.
Climate Change:
Addressing climate change is the greatest imperative of our time. The stakes are enormous for our environment, our economy, and our planet. Confronting climate change will require major investments in infrastructure, new technologies, high quality jobs, and energy independence. Pursuing these projects will not only make progress on climate change, they will also make our country stronger, healthier, and more prosperous. I am a member of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, and an original cosponsor of the Green New Deal resolution.
Thankfully, California has already taken bold steps to combat climate change, proving that climate leadership and economic prosperity can go hand in hand. I have worked on these issues since my time in the state legislature and am committed to advancing many of our proven California strategies at the federal level and doing even more
Science says that we need to keep fossil fuels in the ground to protect the planet for future generations, which is why I introduced the ‘Keep It in the Ground Act’ to reduce carbon emissions and break our nation’s addiction to fossil fuels by permanently barring new fossil fuel leases on all federal public lands and in federal waters.
I have helped lead the congressional response to President Trump’s reckless decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and roll back President Obama’s Clean Power Plan. The Paris Agreement and the Clean Power Plan call for significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants. Along with Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, I introduced the “Still-In Resolution,” a bipartisan House Concurrent Resolution to reaffirm that Congress remains committed to the Paris Agreement to combat climate change. Along with Congressman Frank Pallone, I led the congressional effort to defend the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan in court, filing a bipartisan “friend of the court” brief with 208 current and former members of Congress and Senators.
Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency:
Increasing investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy sources is a critical tool in the fight against climate change, which is why I introduced the Home Improvement Modernization Act, a bipartisan bill to help homeowners make investments in their homes and save money on electricity costs by improving and modernizing the Title I Home and Property Improvement Loan Program, one of America’s oldest tools for assisting homeowners to remodel and upgrade their homes. This bill is a win for homeowners, our local economies, and our environment. By spurring homeowners to invest in efficiency upgrades, photovoltaic panels, house weatherization, and new HVAC systems, we can help homeowners save money on energy bills and fight climate change at the same time.
I have introduced the Gas Tax Replacement Act, which would replace the gas tax with a new carbon tax applied to surface transportation fuels, based on a life-cycle assessment of carbon emissions. The new tax would provide critical funds to the Highway Trust Fund while encouraging advancement in clean energy and reducing carbon.