As a hurricane intensified by hot ocean water now threatens to destroy the Tampa Bay region, Florida Republicans bankrolled by the fossil fuel industry are pushing legislation that would bar the president from declaring a climate emergency.

Reps. Greg Steube and Byron Donalds, both Republicans who have together received more than $175,000 from oil and gas interests over their relatively short careers, cosponsored the House version of the bill last year, which frames the climate crisis as a “false emergency.” Steube represents Sarasota and Charlotte Counties, both south of Tampa, and Donalds represents much of Florida’s Lee County — all areas under evacuation orders as of Tuesday.

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