Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell admitted Tuesday he thinks climate change is real and humans are contributing to it, but solving the issue is more complex than Democrats make it seem.
Before the Senate voted 57-0 not to advance the Green New Deal to a floor debate, McConnell spoke with reporters about holding the vote.
He was specifically asked whether he bought into the idea of climate change.
"I do. The question is, how do you address it?" McConnell said. "John Barrasso is chairman of the Environment Committee, and he's pointed out repeatedly that the way to do this consistent with American values and American capitalism is through technology and innovation.
"There's no question that that's the way to get the result, not to shut down your economy, throw people out of work, make people reconstruct their homes, get out of their cars. This is nonsense. If you're gonna sign onto nonsense, you're gonna have to vote for nonsense. We're gonna give them an opportunity this afternoon."
Three Democrats voted no on the Green New Deal resolution Tuesday. The remaining 42 Democrats plus Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., voted "present," so officially they did not vote yes or no on the measure.
Freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., introduced the Green New Deal last month. It calls for drastic changes to how Americans live their lives, including their cars and homes.