Grounded in Washington this week, a group of senior Democrats blamed Republicans for their inability to attend the COP30 global climate talks.
A group of eight House Democrats, led by former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, said that Speaker Mike Johnson’s refusal to bring the House into session until Wednesday had kept them from attending the climate conference, which kicked off in Brazil this week.
Pelosi said that Republicans had “always resisted” climate collaboration, and that beyond the shutdown, House Democrats have also “not been able to get cooperation for us to have a bipartisan delegation.”
President Donald Trump did not send a delegation to COP30, and the House Democrats’ trip cancellation meant that, so far, the conference has proceeded without a federal elected presence.
