Climate change is a deeply polarizing issue within Congress. The Inflation Reduction Act was hailed as “the most significant climate action in U.S. history” and provided nearly $400 billion for climate solutions. Congress passed the legislation in 2022 strictly along party lines, with no Republicans voting in favor.
In 2023, Democrats voted for pro-environmental legislation more than 90% of the time. Republicans voted for pro-environmental legislation less than 5% of the time, according to voting data collected by the League of Conservation Voters.
And yet, public opinion polling shows support for climate policies in conservative districts.
According to data from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, about two-thirds of Americans are “worried” about climate change. Nearly 8 in 10 Americans support funding research into renewable energy, and 3 out of 4 support regulating carbon emissions. Two-thirds believe Congress should do more to address climate change.
Even in Jack County, Texas, where Donald Trump received 90% of the vote in 2020, 58% support regulating carbon emissions. That’s the lowest of any U.S. county.
So why is there such a disconnect between the American public and Congress?
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