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This paper studies the conditions under which legislators promote policies that may be
unpopular in the short term but yield long-term benefits. Using data on the universe
of federal disaster declarations from 1989 to 2020, we document that representatives
from congressional districts impacted by hurricanes are more inclined to support environmental
legislation addressing climate change. However, this response depends
on political circumstances: only those in safe seats can change their political agenda
towards policies that involve short-term costs for long-term gains. These results highlight
the role of electoral incentives in shaping politicians’ attitudes towards far-sighted
policy making.
