Squad member Jamaal Bowman calls for an end to fossil fuel drilling
New York Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman criticized the inclusion of a pipeline and additional drilling in the upcoming debt ceiling bill to avoid default.
Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., pushed for an end to fossil fuel drilling ahead of a vote on the debt ceiling bill on Monday.
Bowman discussed the recent agreement between House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and President Biden to raise the debt ceiling alongside some spending cuts to avoid default. Despite the two sides announcing a deal, some progressive Democrats and Republican members of the House Freedom Caucus have voiced opposition to the bill.
Bowman, who was one of the lawmakers with concerns about the deal, insisted that a "major problem" in the bill was a "Joe Manchin pipeline" that Democrats previously rejected based on climate change concerns.
"And what’s problematic about that is number one, we need to stop drilling for fossil fuels completely, but number two, we need an expedited way to get us to clean renewable energy, or we will continue to have these severe weather events that we have been having for quite some time because of the warming of the planet," Bowman told CNN host Wolf Blitzer.
Rep. Jamaal Bowman discusses the debt ceiling agreement on CNN. (CNN)
The "Joe Manchin pipeline" was in reference to the Mountain Valley Pipeline, a natural gas pipeline that would run from West Virginia, Manchin’s state, to southern Virginia. Manchin praised the debt ceiling for including funding for the pipeline.
"Last summer, I introduced legislation to complete the Mountain Valley Pipeline. I am pleased Speaker McCarthy and his leadership team see the tremendous value in completing the MVP to increase domestic energy production and drive down costs across America and especially in West Virginia," Manchin said on Monday. "I am proud to have fought for this critical project and to have secured the bipartisan support necessary to get it across the finish line."
During the segment, Bowman admitted that he was "still undecided" on the debt ceiling agreement because his team was "still reviewing the bill." The bill is set to face a vote by the House of Representatives on Wednesday.
Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., has not committed to voting in favor of the debt ceiling agreement. (Fox News)
Bowman has been an active supporter of climate change legislation similar to his fellow progressive House members. In 2021, he introduced $1.4 trillion "Green New Deal for Public Schools" to invest in upgrading school buildings with climate-friendly infrastructure.
"It’s time for a revolution in public education," Bowman said. "As we deal with a devastating climate crisis caused by decades of unchecked corporate greed, we need to center our children and their future.
Fellow "Squad" member Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., also called for an end to drilling for fossil fuels in 2018 after pushing her own "Green New Deal" in the House.
Progressive House members such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., have supported a "Green New Deal" to enact climate change legislation. ((Photo by Caroline Brehman/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images))
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
"There’s no debate as to whether we should continue producing fossil fuels. There’s no debate. We should not," Ocasio-Cortez said. "Every single scientific consensus points to that."
Fox News First
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox.
By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.