Description:

**EVENT POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER**

Description
As the 116th Congress takes its seat, the dynamics around U.S. climate policy are potentially more interesting than at any time in nearly a decade. Incoming Democratic members have promised to propose a Green New Deal that they claim would support job growth and reduced carbon emissions. Meanwhile, House leadership is considering revisiting cap-and-trade legislation passed in 2009 that narrowly failed in the Senate. And, despite Republicans’ historical opposition to most climate policies, nascent support for a carbon tax by several members in the Climate Solutions Caucus was one of the few bright spots in U.S. climate policy in 2018.

But how strong is voter support for strong action on climate change—particularly carbon pricing? Vulnerable Republican members who support climate policies risk electoral challenges, and even progressive Washington State failed to pass a ballot initiative introducing a carbon price in 2018. In short, what are Americans willing to pay to fight climate change?

Join EPIC and a distinguished panel of political and policy leaders as we discuss the dynamics at play in the new Congress.

About the Speakers
McKie Campbell is an EPIC Policy Fellow for 2018-19. Campbell, managing partner of BlueWater Strategies LLC, has more than 30 years of governmental and private sector energy and natural resource experience. Before joining BlueWater Strategies, Campbell was the staff director of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee under Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R).

Carlos Curbelo is a former two-term Republican Congressman of Florida's 26th Congress District. In July, Curbelo introduced legislation to tax carbon. The "MARKET CHOICE Act" would place a tax of $24/ton of carbon, with 70 percent of the revenue going to the Highway Trust Fund. In February 2016, Curbelo co-founded The Climate Solutions Caucu, a bipartisan group in the US House of Representatives that explores policy options that address the impacts, causes, and challenges of our changing climate. The Caucus featuers 90 members, comprised of an equal number of Republicans and Democrats.

Michael Greenstone is the Milton Friedman Distinguished Service Professor in Economics, the College and the Harris School, as well as the Director of EPIC and the Becker Friedman Institute at the University of Chicago. He previously served as the Chief Economist for President Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers, where he co-led the development of the United States Government’s social cost of carbon. Greenstone also directed The Hamilton Project, which studies policies to promote economic growth, and has since joined its Advisory Council. He is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a fellow of the Econometric Society, and a former editor of the Journal of Political Economy. Before coming to the University of Chicago, Greenstone was the 3M Professor of Environmental Economics at MIT.

Melanie Kenderdine, a principal at Energy Future Initiatives, held senior-level positions at the U.S. Department of Energy under two administrations. Most recently, she served as the energy counselor to Secretary Ernest J. Moniz and director of the Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis. Before that, Kenderdine was the Executive Director of the MIT Energy Initiative. She also held several posts in the Clinton administration, including senior policy advisor to the secretary, director of the Office of Policy, and deputy assistant secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs. Prior to serving in the Clinton Administration, Kenderdine was chief of staff for New Mexico Congressman Bill Richardson.

Amy Harder (moderator), who covers energy and climate change for Axios and writes a weekly column called Harder Line, is EPIC's inaugural Journalism Fellow. In her column and elsewhere, she reports on trends and exclusive scoops and analyzes the news driving the debate about energy and climate. Her coverage includes congressional legislation, regulations, lobbying and international policy actions affecting the United States. Previously, she covered similar issues for The Wall Street Journal, based out of its Washington, D.C., bureau.