{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398499", "Griffith Leads Letter Expressing Opposition to International Climate Funding", "2015-11-23", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In a letter led by Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) to House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY) and Ranking Member Nita Lowey (D-NY), 110 Members of Congress express their opposition to President Obamas unilateral pledge of U.S. taxpayer funds to the United Nations Green Climate Fund, especially if any international climate agreement emerging from the upcoming United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Paris is not brought before Congress for approval. \nThe Green Climate Fund is a fund for developing nations that was launched in 2009 with the goal of raising $100 billion a year in financing. In their letter, the Representatives highlight that Congress has never authorized funding for this fund. Yet without the consent of Congress and despite serious domestic budget constraints, President Obama unilaterally pledged $3 billion in U.S. taxpayer funding for the Green Climate Fund. \nAdditionally, the Representatives write that This request from the President appears to be just the beginning of a commitment to the United Nations that could dwarf previous such climate commitments made by the United States government. The Green Climate Funds Executive Director recently stated that estimated funding needed by developing countries would increase to $450 billion per year after 2020. The United Nations top climate change official, Christina Figueres, has described the current goal of $100 billion as peanuts and envisions trillions of dollars in spending over the next 15 years.\nThe letter can be found here.\nIn addition to Griffith, the letter was signed by Representatives Ralph Abraham, Lou Barletta, Andy Barr, Joe Barton, Dan Benishek, Gus Bilirakis, Rob Bishop, Marsha Blackburn, Charles Boustany, Dave Brat, Jim Bridenstine, Mo Brooks, Ken Buck, Larry Bucshon, Earl Buddy Carter, Chris Collins, Mike Conaway, Kevin Cramer, Ron DeSantis, Scott DesJarlais, Jeff Duncan, Jimmy Duncan, Renee Ellmers, Tom Emmer, Blake Farenthold, Stephen Fincher, John Fleming, Bill Flores, Trent Franks, Bob Gibbs, Louie Gohmert, Bob Goodlatte, Paul Gosar, Trey Gowdy, Sam Graves, Glenn Grothman, Gregg Harper, Jeb Hensarling, Jody Hice, Richard Hudson, Tim Huelskamp, Bill Huizenga, Robert Hurt, Lynn Jenkins, Bill Johnson, Sam Johnson, Walter B. Jones, Jim Jordan, Adam Kinzinger, Raul Labrador, Doug LaMalfa, Doug Lamborn, Leonard Lance, Robert E. Latta, Billy Long, Barry Loudermilk, Mia Love, Frank Lucas, Blaine Luetkemeyer, Cynthia Lummis, Michael McCaul, Tom McClintock, David B. McKinley, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Mark Meadows, Luke Messer, Candice Miller, Jeff Miller, Alex Mooney, Markwayne Mullin, Mick Mulvaney, Randy Neugebauer, Dan Newhouse, Devin Nunes, Pete Olson, Gary Palmer, Steve Pearce, Scott Perry, Joe Pitts, Mike Pompeo, Tom Price, John Ratcliffe, Phil Roe, Mike D. Rogers, Dana Rohrabacher, Keith Rothfus, David Rouzer, Steve Scalise, David Schweikert, Austin Scott, F. James Sensenbrenner, John Shimkus, Adrian Smith, Lamar Smith, Glenn GT Thompson, Scott Tipton, Fred Upton, Greg Walden, Mark Walker, Jackie Walorski, Mimi Walters, Randy Weber, Brad Wenstrup, Bruce Westerman, Ed Whitfield, Joe Wilson, Don Young, Todd Young, Ryan Zinke.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398499"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7580118253827095, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}