"The legislation comes as the California senator is on Joe Biden’s shortlist for vice president. Will her climate bona fides satisfy progressives?"

"When Sen. Kamala Harris of California and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced climate "equity" legislation on Thursday, climate activists saw it as a hopeful sign of Democratic unity less than three months before a hugely consequential election with both the White House and the Senate up for grabs.

The two star Democrats first unveiled the Climate Equity Act in draft form more than a year ago, when Harris was running for president. The formal introduction of a new and improved version comes as the California senator is vying to become Joe Biden's choice as his vice presidential running mate in the race to unseat President Donald Trump, whose failed handling of the coronavirus pandemic has sent his already low approval ratings tumbling.

The climate legislation, which has been the subject of extensive community outreach by Harris  and Ocasio-Cortez over the last year, would create an Office of Climate and Environmental Justice Accountability within the Office of Management and Budget and require the government to consider the impact of any environmental legislation or regulation on low-income communities."

Ilana Cohen reports for InsideClimate News August 6, 2020. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"Kamala Harris Goes Big On Environmental Justice As Biden Considers Her As Running Mate" (Washington Post) [3]

"Harris, Ocasio-Cortez Push Climate Equity Bill With Green New Deal Roots" (The Hill) [4]