BPC Task Force Co-Chairs Chambliss and Heitkamp Applaud Inclusion of the Growing Climate Solutions Act in the Omnibus Funding Package

Washington, DC – Today, the Bipartisan Policy Center released the following statements from former Sens. Saxby Chambliss and Heidi Heitkamp, co-chairs of BPC’s Farm and Forest Carbon Solutions Task Force following the inclusion of the bipartisan Growing Climate Solutions Act (GCSA) in the end-of-year omnibus funding package. The GCSA was a key recommendation of their 2022 task force’s report, Federal Polices to Advance Natural Climate Solutions. Importantly, the bill unlocks the potential within the U.S. agriculture and forestry industry to serve as a critical climate solution.

“Federal action is needed to help farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners generate high-quality carbon credits and access new revenue opportunities – exactly what the Growing Climate Solutions Act does,” said task force co-chair, former Sen. Saxby Chambliss. “I’m happy to see it included in this year’s appropriation, especially as demand for expanding voluntary markets for carbon credits continues to increase.”

“Earlier this year our task force recommended that Congress pass the Growing Climate Solutions Act, and so we applaud its inclusion in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023,” said task force co-chair, former Sen. Heidi Heitkamp. “This bill will help ensure more robust and transparent carbon markets are accessible to all producers and forest landowners.”

BPC applauds the bipartisan, bicameral work of Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), the committee’s ranking member, Sen. John Boozman (R-AR), Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN), and House Agriculture Committee Chair David Scott (D-GA), the committee’s ranking member, Rep. G.T. Thompson (R-PA), and Reps. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) and Don Bacon (R-NE). It is through their hard work and perseverance that an agreement was reached on this important legislation.