CNN climate correspondent Bill Weir tweeted Friday, which he then deleted. It claimed that Republicans are responsible for the acceleration of the process. “the end of a livable Earth”After the Inflation Reduction Act, there was no more support.
It would have provided $375 billion to spend over the next 10 year on clean and renewable energy development, as well as financial incentives to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Additional provisions related to taxes and prescription drugs would have brought the legislation’s expense to nearly $740 billion. Inflation Reduction Act was ultimately rejected by the Senate of House Republicans.
Weir responded by tweeting Friday: “Not a single Republican in either chamber voted for the first piece of ambitious climate legislation in U.S. history. Best case, they let their opponents become the party of Industrial Revolution 2.0. Worst case, their obstruction hastens the end of a livable Earth.”
Weir soon deleted the tweet, and posted a follow-up message in which he explained that he “Deleted a tweet that was poorly worded and did not land as intended. Apologies.”
Although Weir has since deleted the tweet, the sentiment was the same as the one he expressed when Democrats were having trouble securing enough votes for climate legislation in July. He told CNN’s Jim Sciutto that he had said the same thing at the time. “This is hung up on an old-fashioned filibuster, sort of recent, made-up American rules, where the fate of life on earth is at stake and doesn’t seem to match.”
The House passed the Inflation Reduction Act by a vote of 220-207 on Friday, despite opposition from Republicans. The President Joe Biden is expected to sign the Inflation Reduction Act into law during the week. The Senate passed the legislation (which covers taxes, climate, and health care) 51-50.
“There are a few days in a congressional career that feel truly historic. To me, this is one of them,”James Clyburn (D-S.C. House Majority Whip) stated on the floor, before the vote, that per USA Today.
