Dem climate advocates huddle with top White House aides

Two Capitol Hill Democrats seeking more aggressive steps to confront global warming huddled earlier this week with a pair of top White House aides.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) told reporters Friday that he and Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) met “a couple of days ago” with White House Deputy Chief of Staff Rob Nabors and Heather Zichal, a top energy and climate adviser to President Obama.

“We had a very good and wide-ranging discussion,” Whitehouse told reporters in the Capitol.

Whitehouse and Waxman, the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, formed a bicameral climate change task force in January.

“Sen. Whitehouse and Rep. Waxman met with senior White House officials this week to discuss the importance of protecting public health and future generations from the effects of carbon pollution,” said Seth Larson, a spokesman for Whitehouse.

“They exchanged ideas about potential legislative strategies and executive actions, and how better to work together between branches. Both Members expressed support for the President's work to address this important issue,” he said.

The Rhode Island Democrat said in late February that he and Waxman wanted to meet with top White House officials to ensure their efforts are in sync.

A White House official said the meeting this week touched on a range of topics, including energy efficiency and hydrofluorocarbons, which are greenhouse gases used in air conditioning, refrigeration and elsewhere.

This post was updated at 2:52 p.m.