It was only a matter of time before Democrats called for a hearing to explore what role, if any, extreme weather events and climate change played in the Frankenstorm that slammed into the northeastern coast this week when Hurricane Sandy teamed with a cold front from the West to create a superstorm.

Rep. Henry Waxman of California, ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and a strong advocate that climate change is occuring, and Rep. Bobby L. Rush of Illinois, ranking member of the House Energy and Power Subcommittee, sent a letter Wednesday asking Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) to schedule a hearing on Sandy during the post-election lame-duck session.

“For two years, the House of Representatives has pretended that climate change is not happening and that the consequences can be dismissed without concern. With the election behind us, we will have an opportunity to begin again and give this matter the attention it deserves,” wrote Waxman and Rush.

Climate change was a major issue on Capitol Hill in 2009 and 2010. In June 2009, the House voted out by a narrow margin legislation that sought to cap heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming (see Daily GPI, June 29, 2009). The bill (HR 2454), which was authored by Waxman, had the potential to substantially change the direction of the energy industry from conventional oil and natural gas to renewable fuels.

In explaining the win in the House, an official with America’s Natural Gas Alliance said at the time that “we were late to the table,” but he added that “we are very definitely engaged in the Senate” bill negotiations (see Daily GPI, Aug. 19, 2009).

The measure never made it out of the Senate that year, and it has mostly been a back-burner issue since. This could all change in the wake of Sandy and depending on the outcome of the elections. If Democrats win more seats in the House and Senate in Tuesday’s national election, climate change could move front and center next year.

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