Transcript for Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Rep. Raul Grijalva speak about Green New Deal, climate change

Well if you were watching last month congress did something extraordinary. If passed a sweeping environmental conservation law. With a bipartisan. Majority you heard that right it's the biggest land conservation package. Passed in a decade if not a generation and it even has the support of president trump take a look. Here are some of the things it does designates over a million acres of wilderness land setting that aside more than 300000 acres are preserved from my need. It expands five national parks creates four new national monuments and get this the Congressional Budget Office even says it saves tax payers. Open over nine million dollars over the next decade which is no small thing we're joined now by two of the champions of the legislation. A political odd couple of sorts congressman grow brawl bar of Arizona chairman. The house natural resources committee a Democrat of course senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska Republican. She's chairwoman of the energy and natural resources committee in the senate great to have you both here. Thank you so much sense or one start with you congressman you've. This is something that's far from the green new deal many in your party event talking about what you call this something Evan. Old school cream deal. That is the as you as you pointed out to. The eight bridges a new set aside areas. The permanent reauthorization of the land the water conservation funds. Well like I called the middle school field this the fact that this is legislating and this is what we come here to do. Many of these these pieces of legislation that are part of the whole package and been around for ten years and through. The leadership ability of the good senator. And the participation of all we found common ground. We compromise do we have a bipartisan package that passed overwhelmingly in the house and in the center. And we can't underscore enough how sweeping in this bill is and it did pass the senate as you said ninety to two which is no small thing these days. I senator Murkowski I want to ask you what the secret was to achieving so much land conservation here at a time when this administration in particular. Has been focused on rolling back protection. A publicly. It all comes down to balance. Because as we're talking about significant conservation pieces I think it's important to keep in mind that there's so many smaller more parochial bills. Then deal with different things on land can dance in South Dakota that will allow that little community. To it stands. It's airport so that they can have greater economic benefit into that small. Community some of the pieces that are pertinent to Alaska. Will allow where the use of a gravel extraction. In his smaller remote area that was required through land conveniences so you had to land convinces. Land conservation. Water management. Sportsman's. Priorities that are included with the in this so if it's a compilation. Of over a 120. Different. Deals. Brian together they have all gone through a process as a congressman has said. That brought about a vote in the senate I need to carry Q was ninety to two eighths out and explain that in 98 that Kate. Kidding about ninety as they have no winner here and so it was bipartisan bicameral it was good old fashioned legislating. That bride and not only those who are focused on the conservation side that those who are focused on I'm just efficiencies with the land management economic benefits to communities. Health for our sports men and women around the country. Well we deal with wind water and land issues pretty comprehensive. Pretty comprehensive it 662. Pages it's a mammoth bill congressmen. You're from Arizona a lot of land preserve your state get what's the most important part of this legislation that will affect people in news. I think I didn't establishment or heritage area. The the continued support poor. And particularly one native American tribe and the reservation that will be used in terms of their economic development but overall. When you have passed over the last. Forty years over 200 million dollars from the lender were consolation but that has helped projects across Arizona. That is not for me reauthorize that becomes a resource. For not only the state of Arizona but every stick of utilize this is what I think. That's huge. Yet senator this is a huge piece of environmental protection legislation at its core. You've been very outspoken about the need to protect the environment talked about the impacts of climate change talked about the need to do something. Also those supporting the fossil fuel industries a big deal in your state of course. How do you how do you bridge the gap senator Murkowski between. Preserve green advocating. Addressing climate change and also supporting that industry yet we're worse there. Common ground how can you find compromise that Democrats. Well whenever things that you pointed out there are areas that would you're all living in this measures alone in his creation. They keep in mind. We did this the right way we did this through the legislative process that gained the support. The lawmakers from their respective states. Where king would whether they were then Governors State legislator is senators or congressman here. That Dak is how you bring about these designations is through that consensus. Process where it comes literally from the ground up. And and when you think about those those kind of grassroots things that we on the Republican side like to embrace and endorse its its. When the people in that region are supportive. Of this whether it's a conservation piece while weather is an economic development feet peace. What we try to do is we try to respond so again when you can find balance in legislation. Again here's some pieces that in this bill that if I had worked this Bill Hall myself when I had been included in. I worked hand in glove with senator Cantwell for years on this measure she and I don't see eye to eye for instance on development in the tennis to area. But what we were able to come together. I'm on areas of compromise work in her state. There are water issues that are significant that I followed her lead on in mice stayed there were some issues that. That came down to keeping a commitment. To our Alaskan native veterans in terms of their ability to receive and medium allotments. Under the the thanks. Allotment act in seven week we come together we work it through a process and when you work. When you work like this station through processed through the communities through and through it really did manage conversations that we had. Senator Cantwell and I did not do this in isolation on the senate side we were working we have. At this time chairman bishop and and and congressman for home and now chairman from a and mr. V chef working through a process. That's something that as sleeping and this legislation is in terms of its policy impact. I think it is equally significant that we have demonstrated at a time. A great impasse a lot of other issues that we can lead to see you again members coming together. Reaching across the aisle and across the chamber is to say these are significant for people in our district I think we'll come together and make it happen. Look what but I think helps the process is the plot the public's overwhelming. Local support. Or they're public assets under public lands that is evident anywhere you go. And I think also lose the senator said. There are things and I wanted and I didn't and I'm sure there are things senator Warner. That are not in there that's part of the process as well. Compromising until. And and I think she sits up to this report is about balance and the conservation ethic as you. Mentions is part of a balanced team would we manage our lands and to. That it has prominence now. Because it has and that prominence in the past eight. We're we're hopefully we can strike that balance in the future and find that. Police were conservation. And other uses of our public assets are our balance of balance right. You both care so deeply about the environment and you have proven with this legislation you can work together to get down when I ask you about. The next steps what you could do going forward and specifically want to ask you both about the topic it's in the news so much for another green new deal. Congress to overhaul the that's something you support calls for eliminating fossil fuels among other things will remind people. Here on the screen what some of the provisions art is it realistic do you think that this is a package of resolution an idea. Did she can begin as a launch point for with Republicans. Little image and I see that residents and not many necessarily the manifesto. That was attached to it because that's not what we voted on who voted on the resolution. For the green new deal and that new deal basically use. It's the aspirations this to gold. And I think that each community in the house is now going to be responsible sports. Filling in the blanks to begin to deal with the legislation. That deals with that in our community that's. That's a big talk about what its success. Since senator Murkowski is you look at the green new deal is there anything in there that you like. Well. What I what we're looking at me in the campaign natural resource is Canadian. Our ways that we can get to solutions. Right now we green new deal and the idea where the aspiration and whenever you want to say is behind the green new deal I I actually find. Some of the summit of it in this fashion that needs. He's not constructive. His solution. I want is to get to solutions so what we've been doing in the energy committee is we've been looking at. At how can technologies he's clean technologies advances we had a hearing just yesterday. In the committee that was focused on. The image tags to the electric sector. From my changing climate what does that mean to west. And where we've seen as best practices when we need to be doing more what in the challenges in front of us. How can lead in sent more R&D Howe can be yeah. Incidents. Get on a daily basis. On a daily basis for making any prospective we're working towards solutions to address. The climate challenges that faces so I don't want to get hot item in messaging though it's. Outlining get caught up in pragmatic solutions. That help benefit. Our our environment and our economy anarchy and drove. The pragmatic. The paramedics get this food resources committee stated principle put science. Here in fact. Critical information. In front of decision making so that that becomes the guy pulls for us I think we can go wrong if we rely on. Science good sound peer reviewed science that will provide us the direction. Festival of what we need to be doing book about climate challenge change that is going on as well as concentration at the elements of murder. There real quickly before we let you go one one final question to each of you congressman for hall the house Democrats just a short time from now set to vote on that resolution condemning anti semitism bigotry. In the wake of those comments from my congresswoman Omar. How will you vote on that do you think that the backlash has been. Warranted in this case. I think the consequences there are evidence of an and there are evidently my colleague from his old mark. And end up back message she got. You know of those we get it doesn't William Pollack. On policy I have disagreements over the settlements I have disagreements about offending the student. Big solution. As a mechanism for peace I have I have disagreements in policy of moving the capitol to do rooms for men and others. But those are policy difference in what we cannot do. And this is why it requires some sort of position on the part of congress and the House of Representatives is even beginning to approach the issue denial the horrors of the Holocaust is something that you cannot. He limited from the discussion should help our. Our fights and the debate about policy worried should we wouldn't have seen Israel. But in terms of even approaching anything that resembles denial I think is something we can't do it we need to correct. And finally senator you are also facing an interest in vote coming up shortly to drug vote to terminate the president's emergency declaration you wanna for. Senate Republicans who's come out against senate constitutional grounds. I'm just yours is the White House reached out to you tried to dissuade you are you worried at all about wolf back from the president. Yeah I think that this is something that each invest. We'll have to do our own evaluation. I have I have done mine and and I had made public. Up my concerns. And and why am I would support the resolution. Disapprove. That that termination of the emergency. Authority there. But I think I think it is clear the White House this is very interested in this they have. Vice president has been continue to visit set at lunch just this week to. To make sure that we understand where the president and and the secretary of Homeland Security as well who's also with us that that. We know where they are coming from I think that that is important I'm looking at this from a very institutional. Reception and prospective. And and the clear separation. Powers. And pursuant to article one that I think are extraordinarily. Important. I I do think that there are very very legitimate gray areas within the national emergency act that don't. Make clear. What are the criteria car alarms or emergency and so. We've been saying a lot around here it's not so much a question. Whether with a the president could have declared that whether or not he should cap is this. Is this expansion. Executive power. Possibly through legislative acquiescence and I've shared my concerns about that. Senator Lisa Murkowski Republican of Alaska congressman Rahul overhaul block of Arizona Democrat appreciate you both coming on your very generous with your time. I congratulations on this sweeping bipartisan. Public lands conservation bill certainly a big achievement for this congress thank you bill. Thank you very much.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.