Upper chamber GOP officials, led by Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), wrote that the Fed is inching toward implementing climate change into its mandate, which could diminish its focus on fighting elevated price pressures and “a crisis of confidence” in the financial sector. As per the Federal Reserve Act, the central bank’s chief mandates are price stability, maximum employment, and managing long-term interest rates.
“We are growing increasingly frustrated with the Federal Reserve’s engagement on environmental policymaking and research far outside of its statutory mandate, all while there is persistent inflation and a crisis of confidence in the banking sector,” stated the coalition of Senate Republicans, which included Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho).
The May 17 letter noted that the Fed isn’t a “climate policymaker” but Powell has gradually incorporated ESG (environmental, social, and governance) principles into the risk analysis of banks, also known as a climate stress test.
“This is policy masquerading as ‘risk analysis,’” the letter reads. “The Fed is actively signaling that bank activities that do not further the goals of net zero by 2050 are inherently risky and disfavored. This drives capital away from traditional energy development at a critical time for our economic and national security, while empowering America’s adversaries. This climate stress test is the logical result of a persistent and growing track record of climate activism at the Fed.”
The project had been roughly three years in the making.
But Powell has repeatedly insisted that the central bank isn’t a climate policymaker and that the role of policymaker should be left up to the legislative branch.
“We are not looking to move into an area where we’re actually becoming a climate policymaker,” Powell told the House Financial Services Committee during his semi-annual Monetary Policy Report in March. “I would completely agree with you that over time, that border needs to be very carefully guarded.”
“Taking on new goals, however worthy, without a clear statutory mandate would undermine the case for our independence,” he said.
The letter from the Senate Republicans also noted that engaging in the political arena regarding climate change would “greatly undermine” the Fed’s independence.
“The legitimacy of the institution is on the line, and we again urge you to do everything in your power to ensure that the Fed operates solely within its statutory authority,” the letter concluded.
SEC and Climate Change
Sullivan wrote a separate letter to Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Gary Gensler about the federal regulator’s emphasis on climate change.“The SEC should be ... ensuring that American investors are protected from a shaky Chinese economy and dangerously fickle and politically focused authoritarian rule by the CCP,” Sullivan wrote.
The SEC’s climate disclosure rules, which integrate ESG philosophy, are expected to be finalized and implemented later this year.