Cornyn takes on climate change, says 'days of ignoring' emissions are over

Sen. John Cornyn, left, R-Texas, and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, pose for pictures after a renaming ceremony at the Javier Vega Jr. Border Patrol Checkpoint on Wednesday, March 20, 2019, near Sarita, Texas. (Joel Martinez/The Monitor via AP) less Sen. John Cornyn, left, R-Texas, and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, pose for pictures after a renaming ceremony at the Javier Vega Jr. Border Patrol Checkpoint on Wednesday, March 20, 2019, near Sarita, Texas. (Joel ... more Photo: Joel Martinez, MBI / Associated Press Photo: Joel Martinez, MBI / Associated Press Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Cornyn takes on climate change, says 'days of ignoring' emissions are over 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

WASHINGTON - Texas Senator John Cornyn said Thursday it was time for the United States to take action on climate change, throwing weight behind a growing body of Republicans calling for legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

"There is a growing consensus the days of ignoring this issue are over," Cornyn, the former Republican majority whip, said in a conference call with reporters. "If we all agree that reducing emissions is important I think we have a better way of approaching that than the Green New Deal."

GREEN SHIFT: Are Republicans wavering on climate change?

The Green New Deal is a proposal from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, D-N.Y., to rapidly shift the U.S. economy away from fossil fuels, which now counts more than 100 Democratic co-sponsors in the House and Senate, including presidential candidates Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren.

Cornyn is readying to introduce his own legislation on climate change, which he described as "an innovation agenda" to expand federal funding for research into carbon capture technology.

He cited a test project in La Porte named Net Power where engineers have developed a power plant that burns natural gas without releasing any greenhouse gas emissions.

"We can do this without passing new taxes or huge new job killing regulations," he said.

President Donald Trump has been a frequent critic of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, pulling the United States out of the Paris accord and on the 2016 campaign calling climate change a "a very, very expensive form of tax."

But Cornyn said if Democrats and Republicans could come together on legislation he thought Trump would sign it.

"I'm not sure on his list of priorities where he would put (greenhouse gas emissions)," Cornyn said. "I think he would come along, if Congress was to put a bill on his desk."