In recent months, several Republicans have rallied around a single idea when describing their plans to address climate change: innovation. They argue that investing in new technology — including in the next generation of nuclear reactors and nascent ways of sucking carbon dioxide directly out of the air — is the best way to address climate change. But in a vote this week, all but one Republican rejected a spending bill that included increases in funding for government programs researching just this sort of alternative energy innovations. The measure, approved in a 31-21 vote in the Democratic-led House Appropriations Committee almost entirely along party lines, illustrates how Republicans are still prioritizing getting funding for other Energy Department initiatives over bipartisan provisions on climate change. So much so that they are willing to vote against a […]