Republican Obstruction
Dated entries when Republicans acknowledged climate change, then flipped, reversing prior commitments and blocking climate action.
What this page is
For over 25 years, Republicans have reversed, blocked, or delayed federal climate action — at times denying the problem outright. This page documents that record: dated entries with primary sources where available. It lists 25 major entries since 2000 where Republicans reversed prior commitments or blocked Democratic climate efforts, plus 2 anchors from the 1980s–1990s, when Republicans acknowledged the problem.
Context, not the test
Orange Sky Alert does not re-litigate whether this obstruction happened. That is the premise. The project measures something narrower: whether Core Democratic Officials call out Republicans for denying climate change and fighting prevention efforts. See The climate divide for the argument and hypothesis.
25 obstruction entries since 2000 · 2 earlier acknowledgment anchors · chronological
When Republicans acknowledged the problem
1988
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George H.W. Bush campaign pledges to combat the "greenhouse effect"
In August 1988, the Republican nominee for president promised to fight the "greenhouse effect" with "the White House effect."
1992
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U.S. ratifies the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
In October 1992, a Republican president asked the Senate to approve the UN climate treaty, and the Senate did.
Documented obstruction since 2000
2001
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George W. Bush administration rejects the Kyoto Protocol
In March 2001, President George W. Bush said the United States would not implement the Kyoto Protocol.
2003
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Senate votes on McCain–Lieberman Climate Stewardship Act (cap-and-trade)
In October 2003, the Senate took its first floor vote on economy-wide cap-and-trade. Sens. John McCain, a Republican, and Joe Lieberman were the authors. The amendment failed 43–55.
Republicans 12% yea (6/51) · Democrats 75% yea (36/48)
2005
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Senate rejects McCain–Lieberman Climate Stewardship Act (second vote)
In June 2005, Sens. John McCain and Joe Lieberman tried again. Cap-and-trade came up as an amendment to the energy bill. It failed 38–60.
Republicans 11% yea (6/55) · Democrats 70% yea (31/44)
2008
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Senate fails to advance Lieberman–Warner Climate Security Act
In June 2008, Sens. Joe Lieberman and John Warner brought a cap-and-trade bill to the Senate floor — a Republican co-sponsor on a major climate bill. Advancing it took 60 votes for cloture. They got 48. The bill died there.
Republicans 14% yea (7/49) · Democrats 80% yea (39/49)
2010
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Senate rejects Murkowski resolution to overturn EPA greenhouse-gas Endangerment Finding
In June 2010, Sen. Lisa Murkowski tried to use the Congressional Review Act to wipe out EPA's 2009 Endangerment Finding. The motion to even take it up failed 47–53.
Republicans 100% yea (41/41) · Democrats 11% yea (6/57)
2011
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House passes Energy Tax Prevention Act to strip EPA greenhouse-gas authority
In April 2011, the House voted to strip EPA of authority to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act — the power the Supreme Court had recognized in Massachusetts v. EPA. The bill passed 255–172.
Republicans 98% yea (236/240) · Democrats 10% yea (19/192)
2015
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Senate rejects amendment affirming human activity significantly causes climate change
During the Keystone debate, Sen. Brian Schatz offered a simple climate sentence: climate change is real, and human activity significantly contributes. It needed 60 votes. It got 50–49.
Republicans 9% yea (5/54) · Democrats 98% yea (43/44)
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Congress passes Keystone XL Pipeline Approval Act (S.1)
In February 2015, Congress voted to approve the Keystone XL pipeline itself — skipping the usual presidential permit. The House passed the bill 270–152.
Republicans 99% yea (241/244) · Democrats 15% yea (29/188)
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Republican-led states sue to block the Clean Power Plan (West Virginia v. EPA)
The day the Clean Power Plan hit the Federal Register, about two dozen states sued to stop it. West Virginia's attorney general, Patrick Morrisey, led.
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Congress votes to nullify the Clean Power Plan (CRA resolutions S.J.Res. 23 & 24)
In late 2015, a Republican Congress used the Congressional Review Act to try to kill the Clean Power Plan — EPA's carbon limits on power plants. The House passed the existing-plant resolution 242–180.
Republicans 97% yea (238/245) · Democrats 2% yea (4/188)
2016
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2016 Republican Party Platform opposes climate regulation and the Paris Agreement
At the 2016 convention, the Republican Party wrote its climate position into the platform: coal in, a carbon tax out, the Clean Power Plan unlawful, Paris a treaty the United States should not be in.
2017
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U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement (announcement)
In June 2017, the president said the United States would leave the Paris Agreement, the main international climate deal the prior administration had joined.
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EPA proposes repeal of the Clean Power Plan
In October 2017, EPA proposed to repeal the Clean Power Plan, the Obama-era carbon limits on existing power plants.
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Tax Cuts and Jobs Act opens Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil leasing
The 2017 tax law did more than cut rates. Buried in it was a directive to lease the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge coastal plain for oil and gas. The Senate passed the final package 51–48.
Republicans 98% yea (51/52) · Democrats 0% yea (0/46)
2018
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EPA and NHTSA propose SAFE Vehicles Rule to freeze fuel-economy/GHG standards
In August 2018, EPA and NHTSA proposed to freeze fuel-economy and tailpipe CO2 standards at 2020 levels through 2026 and to take California's waiver to set stricter rules.
2019
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Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule replaces Clean Power Plan
In June 2019, EPA replaced the Clean Power Plan with the Affordable Clean Energy rule. The old rule had set carbon limits for existing power plants.
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Formal U.S. notification of withdrawal from the Paris Agreement (first term)
On November 4, 2019, the United States filed the formal withdrawal paper under Paris Article 28. That started a one-year clock.
2020
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EPA and NHTSA finalize SAFE Vehicles Rule, weakening clean-car standards
In March 2020, EPA and NHTSA locked in weaker clean-car rules. Yearly tightening of fuel economy and tailpipe CO2 dropped from about 5% to 1.5% for model years 2021–2026.
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U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement takes effect (first term)
One year after the 2019 notice, the first-term Paris withdrawal took legal effect. The United States was out of the Agreement until the next administration rejoined.
2025
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Executive Order 14162 — U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement (second term)
On day one of the second term, the White House ordered the United States out of the Paris Agreement again.
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Executive Order 14154 — Unleashing American Energy (incl. Endangerment Finding review)
The same morning, a second order told agencies to unwind climate and energy limits from the prior administration and told EPA to re-examine the 2009 Endangerment Finding.
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FEMA terminates Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program
In April 2025, FEMA shut down Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities — its largest program for paying for flood walls, storm hardening, and other work before the next disaster.
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One Big Beautiful Bill Act — phased rollback of IRA clean-energy and EV tax credits
In July 2025, a Republican Congress sent the president a reconciliation bill that pulled forward the end of Inflation Reduction Act clean-energy and EV tax credits. The Senate tied 50–50; the vice president broke the tie.
Republicans 94% yea (50/53) · Democrats 0% yea (0/45)
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EPA proposes rescission of 2009 Endangerment Finding and vehicle GHG standards
In August 2025, EPA put on paper a plan to unwind the core of federal climate regulation for vehicles. The proposal would rescind the 2009 Endangerment Finding and repeal greenhouse-gas standards for cars and trucks.
2026
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EPA rescission of 2009 GHG Endangerment Finding and vehicle GHG standards
In February 2026, EPA finished what the 2025 proposal started: it rescinded the 2009 finding that greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare, and it repealed the vehicle standards that rested on that finding.
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