Oregon GOP state senators fled state to avoid climate change vote
Eleven Republican state senators made a run for the neighboring border fleeing Oregon in order to avoid voting on a cap-and-trade bill to combat climate change.
Oregon State Senator Tim Knopp (R) is among those who left the state.
“We’re going to represent our constituents to the best of our abilities and when our constituents’ voices are ignored and disrespected, we are going to do everything we can to make sure that they have some influence into this process,” he said on “Bulls & Bears” Wednesday.
The senate president has indicated the bill is dead and the dramatic effort to block a vote may have worked, delivering the Republicans the win. Over 100 bills are reportedly in danger as Oregon GOP senators remain in hiding.
“This action was a last resort for us and we worked for months to try to give the kind of concerns addressed that our constituents have,” Knopp said.
Oregon cap-and-trade bill would place a cap on most of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions and lower it over time. The House Bill 2020 expected to increase costs, particularly on fuel.
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Knopp said 2,000 union jobs, along with blue collar and family wage jobs that are in jeopardy because of the climate bill.
“We said we are going to stand and fight with these workers and make sure they get represented,” he said.