Just when U.S. airlines emerged as among the earliest and hardest hit industries of the coronavirus outbreak, and with Congress negotiating economic relief, Nancy Pelosi came forward with a Democratic wish list (nothing to do with coronavirus) to tack onto the relief package.

High on her list was a “Green New Deal” mandate for airlines to offset their “carbon emissions” and publish carbon dioxide emissions for each flight. Airlines would have had to start offsetting carbon emissions by 2025 and reduce their overall emissions by 50% by 2050. Her insert also would have required the Environmental Protection Agency to finalize emission standards of greenhouse gasses for both new and in-service aircraft, obligated carriers to abide by greenhouse gas emissions targets, and disclose to passengers greenhouse gas emissions from their flights. It was a blatant attempt by environmental activists in her party to manipulate current events, knowing such legislation stood little chance of passing in normal times.