Rep. Costello Splits From Trump, Leads GOP Fight Against Climate Change With Reps. Fitzpatrick, Meehan

In a break from both the Republican establishment and President Trump, Chester County's U.S. Rep. Ryan Costello (R PA-6) is spearheading a conservative push to recognize and fight against climate change.

Costello is among the leaders of a group of 17 right wing Congressmen who introduced the "Republican Climate Resolution," in the House of Representatives on Wednesday. Two other Philadelphia area Representatives, Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-08) and Pat Meehan (PA-07), are among that group.

“The preservation of the environment and our natural resources for future generations should be a priority for us all,” said Rep. Costello, who is a member of the Climate Solutions Caucus in the House. “We should leverage conservative principles to develop innovative, economically viable ways to achieve this goal, including through clean energy technologies. I hope to see the Republican Climate Resolution gain momentum and be part of the solutions we advance this Congress.”

Costello and fellow co-sponsors Rep. Elise Stefanik (R NY-21) and Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R FL-26) urged support for climate research, broad recognition of the threat, and economically viable approaches to fighting it.

Republicans in Congress, along with President Trump, have repeatedly said that climate change is either a hoax or is vastly over-exaggerated. Most infamously, the President called global warming a "Chinese hoax," although he later said he was joking.

The new head of Trump's EPA, Scott Pruitt, has long been a staunch foe of environmental regulation of any kind, and rejects the scientific consensus on climate change.

“I think that measuring with precision human activity on the climate is something very challenging to do and there’s tremendous disagreement about the degree of impact, so no, I would not agree that it’s a primary contributor to the global warming that we see,” Pruitt was recently quoted in The Washington Post.

The Republican resolution, which can be read in its entirety here, cites a "marked increase in extreme weather events, including more frequent heat waves, extreme precipitation, wildfires, and water scarcity." It goes on to urge "fact-based" stewardship of the environment, calling climate change a "threat multiplier that will aggravate stressors abroad" including poverty, instability, and diminished resources.

During the 2016 Democratic primaries, Presidential nominee Bernie Sanders repeatedly called climate change the greatest national security threat facing the country.

While the resolution will need a seemingly insurmountable increase in support in order to pass through the Republican-dominated House of Representatives, its more significant message may be the one that it sends other moderate, science-friendly conservatives.

“The significance of this Republican climate resolution cannot be overstated," David Jenkins, President of the Conservatives for Responsible Stewardship, said in a statement. "Real conservatives don’t deny reality, they face it. They don’t avoid problems, they tackle them head on. The resolution’s 17 initial cosponsors are stepping up on an issue that grows more urgent every day, and showing the prudent, fact-based—and yes, conservative—leadership our nation needs. We are grateful for this important first step.”

Costello has long been considered one of those moderate conservatives. He did not declare his support for Trump during the election season, noting his admiration instead for candidates like John Kasich and Jeb Bush. And he has frequently found himself in the middle on some of the more controversial measures proposed by the new Trump administration. However, he's also recently drawn the rancor of leftist groups and citizens in his own district, frustrated with his support for the repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

Fourteen other Republican Congressmen have thrown their support behind the climate resolution, including Philadelphia area Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-08) and Pat Meehan (PA-07).

They are joined by Reps. Mark Amodei (NV-02), Don Bacon (NE-02), Barbara Comstock (VA-10), John Faso (NY-19), , John Katko (NY-24), Mia Love (UT-04), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-27), Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02), Brian Mast (FL-18), , Tom Reed (NY-23), David Reichert (WA-08), and Mark Sanford (SC-01).

Image via Rep. Ryan Costello's office