Democratic Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts has been working with freshman Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York on “Green New Deal” legislation that will be unveiled soon, an aide to Markey confirmed to CNN on Thursday.
There is no final text yet, as some parts of the legislation are still being worked on. There is not a specific date for introduction yet – but the aide says they expect it to be soon.
The legislation will address issues such as job creation, emission reductions, greening infrastructure and a variety of principles that would come with a “robust” climate-change package, this aide says.
The two members have been working on the legislation together for about a month – first meeting on Capitol Hill during the first week in January for a two-hour discussion where they discussed putting together the legislation, and have gotten to know each other well since.
The idea of a “Green New Deal” has, in just a few months, become a central piece of Ocasio-Cortez’s agenda – as well as other progressive Democrats – and attracted the attention of ambitious national Democrats.
“I am thrilled to see so many of the potential 2020 presidential candidates embracing the idea of a Green New Deal,” Ocasio-Cortez told CNN earlier this month. “The oil and gas lobbyists won’t back down without a fight and that’s why we need to support groups like Sunrise Movement in their efforts to keep the pressure up. When the scientific consensus says that you have 12 years to avoid climate catastrophe, it’s time to get to work.”
Movement leaders have not agreed on a price tag. Estimates run in the hundreds of billions of dollars or more. But they argue a combination of tax hikes on the super wealthy – Ocasio-Cortez has floated a 70% rate on income over $10 million – and cuts to fossil fuel industry subsidies and military spending, in addition to the stimulative effects of the new public spending would offset any cost.
CNN’s Gregory Krieg contributed to this report.