VIDEO | Rep. Joshua Penner: Why I’m voting “no” on climate fund changes (House Bill 2251)

February 17, 2026

Rep. Joshua Penner, R-Orting, speaks on the House floor against final passage of House Bill 2251, arguing that the bill fails to deliver real benefits to the communities that pay the most into the Climate Commitment Act.

In his speech, Penner explains that, without his earlier amendment, the bill would still treat basic transportation infrastructure as an “afterthought.” He argues that when carbon auction revenues come in higher than expected, those funds should go toward repairing crumbling bridges and roads—such as the ones in his district that are failing—rather than funding a “wish list” of capital projects that don’t help daily commuters.

He centers his argument on the planning concept of “concurrency”—the idea that those paying the fees should see a direct connection to the solutions. With 155,000 residents in the 31st District unable to access major transit projects like light rail while their local bridges remain closed or at risk, Penner contends the bill simply “moves deck chairs on the Titanic” without solving the real congestion that increases pollution.