Dems seek high-level climate meeting with White House

Two Capitol Hill Democrats who recently formed a congressional climate change task force are seeking to meet with senior White House officials to ensure their efforts are in sync, one of the lawmakers said.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), who formed the bicameral task force with Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), said they’re seeking to meet with White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough, or Heather Zichal, a senior energy and climate adviser to President Obama.

“Henry Waxman and I want to make sure that we are coordinating effectively between the bicameral effort and the White House effort,” Whitehouse said in the Capitol on Tuesday afternoon.

Major legislation on climate change faces grim prospects in Congress. But President Obama has vowed to make climate a major second-term focus and use an array of executive actions to address it, although he has provided few details.

Advocates of tougher executive action want steps including creation of carbon emissions rules for existing power plants.