Congressman Blake Moore pressed on climate change in townhall

Freshman Congressman Blake Moore addressed a variety of topics Friday night, August 20 at the Richins Building. Photo: Parker Malatesta

PARK CITY, Utah — GOP Freshman Congressman Blake Moore held a townhall at the Richins Building in the Snyderville Basin on Friday night.

He addressed a variety of issues spanning from the current infrastructure legislation in Washington, to the Parley’s Canyon Fire, events in Afghanistan, and climate change.

Moore touted his fiscally conservative voting record, along with his networking ability in Washington. He said it’s clear to him the place runs on interpersonal relationships.

He said he expects a two-year progressive push from the Democratic Party, given that they control both Congressional chambers and the White House.

Moore supports the roughly $1 trillion hard infrastructure bill but does not support the Democratic-led $3.5 trillion social infrastructure legislation. He said it’s crucial the $1 trillion bill isn’t held hostage by the support of the other.

One of his first experiences in Congress was the January 6 riot of the Capitol Building.

“I was evacuated from the House chamber,” Moore said. “We didn’t know what direction to go, we were kind of moving through the tunnel system, and when we got to the next part of it, we were told to go into a glass-encased cafeteria that was far less secure… There was no protocol in place.”

He said he felt there was enough information beforehand that the National Guard should have been present.

Moore supported an initial idea of a bipartisan commission to study the January 6 events, similar to the 9/11 commission. However, he does not support the commission format currently in place.

He said he was amazed by the community’s response to the Parley’s Canyon Fire. “Seeing what the community was willing to do is something that I am honored to be a part of and to serve,” he said.

He credits the fire containment success to shared stewardship programs between the local, state, and federal agencies. Moore recently toured the Upper Provo River with Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR) to learn more about the shared stewardship program there.

 

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Several residents at the townhall had passionate questions for the Congressman regarding climate change and the warming of the planet.

“I will engage on this topic,” Moore said about climate change. “I will not bury my head in the sand, I will be willing to address this.” He credited his collaboration with the Citizens Climate Lobby.

He said already Rocky Mountain Power runs on 30% of renewable energy, and they have a 2050 plan for reducing their carbon footprint.

He said the key is to invest, but along with that, leverage what we have already. “This cannot happen overnight… We can’t let sensationalism rule the day, but we have to be able to make progress.”

Moore said he thinks some energy companies have more progressive views on the issue than other members of Congress. “I have done more to engage on this than the vast majority of Republicans.”

He noted his interest in working on issues regarding China (the largest producer of pollutants), citing his experience living and working in Asia.

Regarding the events ongoing in Afghanistan, Moore highlighted the legislation he recently introduced last week, called the Afghanistan Accountability Act.

“The bill requires an extensive report on the effectiveness and analytic integrity of the intelligence and information provided to the President from January to August 2021 as the administration planned, announced, and implemented the withdrawal of U.S. Armed Forces from Afghanistan,” the press release announcing the bill said.

“The bill requires the Secretary of State to submit a detailed report on whether the Taliban satisfies the criteria for designation as a foreign terrorist organization and urges sanctions on the Taliban. In addition, the Afghanistan Accountability Act sanctions Taliban officials and others who have engaged in human rights abuses, undermined democratic processes, threatened stability, engaged in actions to limit freedom of expression and assembly, particularly for women, or provided material support to the Taliban.”