On Tuesday, the Senate failed to advance the Green New Deal, the ambitious plan to combat climate change proposed by Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, after what Democrats said was a politically-motivated show vote.
The measure needed 60 votes to clear a procedural hurdle, but failed in a 0-57 vote, with 43 Democrats voting present.
Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Doug Jones of Alabama and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona voted with Republicans against the measure, as did Sen. Angus King, an Independent who caucuses with the Democrats. Many Democrats announced their plans to vote present ahead of time. In remarks on the Senate floor before the vote, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said that Republicans are not taking the warnings of climate change seriously.
Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, along with Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass.,introduced the Green New Deal resolution in February. It calls for a complete transition to renewable energy by 2030 and to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions. Some of its Senate co-sponsors include Democratic presidential contenders Kamala Harris of California, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Cory Booker of New Jersey and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.
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