House Dems blame GOP for climate conference absence

GREENWIRE | Grounded in Washington this week, a group of senior Democrats blamed Republicans for their inability to attend the COP30 global climate talks.

A group of eight House Democrats, led by former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, said that Speaker Mike Johnson’s refusal to bring the House into session until Wednesday had kept them from attending the climate conference, which kicked off in Brazil this week.

Pelosi said that Republicans had “always resisted” climate collaboration, and that beyond the shutdown, House Democrats have also “not been able to get cooperation for us to have a bipartisan delegation.”

President Donald Trump did not send a delegation to COP30, and the House Democrats’ trip cancellation meant that, so far, the conference has proceeded without a federal elected presence.

“It is so sad that the United States of America, the biggest economy in the world and one of the leading emitters in the world, is not there in Brazil to protect God's creation,” Pelosi said at a news conference Thursday.

At least one Republican — Sen. John Curtis of Utah — had previously expressed interest in attending this year’s COP conference. Curtis’ planned bipartisan Senate delegation was scrapped due to the government shutdown.

During an event hosted by Axios on Thursday, Curtis said: "I think we need to be bolder to be bragging about our success. Over the last dozen or even 15 years, the United States has reduced more carbon than the next 10 carbon-reducing countries combined. We should not be ashamed to go and shout from the house tops, right, like we're in and we make a difference."

On the House side, only Democrats made plans to attend. Among the delegation who anticipated being in Brazil was Pelosi, Natural Resources ranking member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) and leadership from the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition.

Speaking alongside Pelosi on Thursday, Huffman warned that by missing the conference, the United States would be allowing countries like China to fill a leadership vacuum.

“The world still needs and wants American leadership, and unfortunately, the consequence of Donald Trump pulling the United States delegation out at the federal level is just that China is going to get a few more of these amazing opportunities,” Huffman said.

SEEC co-Chair Doris Matsui (D-Calif.) put it more bluntly, calling the U.S. absence from COP a “national disgrace.”

“When the United States doesn’t show up, we cede leadership to other countries. We sell out our children’s future by walking away from the table,” Matsui said.

The Senate voted on a deal to end the government shutdown Monday, ahead of the House Democrats' departure to Brazil. Johnson then gave members until Wednesday to return to pass the Senate spending legislation.

The COP absence will be temporary, the Democrats said. Should they regain power in next year’s midterm elections, the group hopes to lead again on climate at the international level.

Florida Rep. Kathy Castor, the top Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy, said that last week’s Democratic-dominated election wins should be viewed as a “message” from the American people that “affordability was their top concern.”

“The American people know climate change, the climate crisis is real,” Matsui added. “America will return. The question is not if, but when. And when we do, we'll come back stronger and more determined than ever to lead the fight against climate change.”