Inside the Beltway: Alarmed by the Feds

It could be raining regulations soon, should the wishes of Rep. Henry A. Waxman of California and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island come true. The two Democrats have launched an aggressive Bicameral Climate Change Task Force, and they have taken their case to 300 major businesses, manufacturers, charities, interest groups, academic institutions, think tanks and even professional sports organizations. The lawmakers seek advice, they say, by Feb. 20. “What actions or policies could federal agencies adopt, using existing authorities, to make our nation more resilient to the effects of climate change?” they ask, noting that “we have a moral obligation to act.”

And among the many who have received this missive: Home Depot Inc., the Heritage Foundation, Boeing Co., Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the Walt Disney Co., Harvard University, Coca-Cola Co., the National Football League, DuPont, Hasbro Inc., Major League Baseball, Google Inc., Apple Inc., the AFL-CIO, the Cato Institute, the National Council of the Churches of Christ, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, the Port of Los Angeles, and the Wine Institute.