Climate change is happening, humans are the cause, and a shocking number of congressional Republicans — over 58 percent — refuse to accept it. CAP Action conducted a fresh analysis of public statements from current Representatives and Senators from the 113th Congress on climate change. Roll over any state on the map below for information on its resident climate deniers, or click on the state to be taken to the full quotes and figures.
All told, 163 elected representatives in the 113th Congress have taken over $58.8 million from the fossil fuel industry that’s driving the carbon emissions which cause climate change. They deny what over 97 percent of scientists say is happening — current human activity creates the greenhouse gas emissions that trap heat within the atmosphere and cause climate change. And their constituents are paying the price, with Americans across the nation suffering 430 climate-related national disaster declarations since 2011.
This list will be updated regularly.
ALABAMA
Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL-04): “I fall into the second group of people who believe, as do many very credible scientists, that the earth is currently in a natural warming cycle rather than a man-made climate change. Many scientists believe that natural cycles of warming and cooling have existed since the beginning of Earth. If we take the current models of climate prediction and apply those same models to what actually happened in the last thirty years, the models are shown to be very flawed. In addition, what knowledge we do have of a warming period in the Middle Ages cannot be explained by current models which are focused on greenhouse gas reductions.” [Daily Mountain Eagle Op-Ed, 12/13/10]
Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-AL-06): Co-sponsored H.Res.954, a resolution that stated: “Whereas recent events have uncovered extensive evidence from the Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia in England (in this resolution referred to as the ‘CRU’) which involved many researchers across the globe discussing the destruction, altering, and hiding of data that did not support global warming claims.” [H.Res.954, GovTrack, 12/8/09]
Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL-05): “I’m also old enough to remember when the same left-wing part of our society was creating a global cooling scare in order to generate funds for their pet projects. So 30-some years ago the big scare was global cooling, and once they drained that [topic], they shifted to global warming. So I’m approaching the issue with a healthy degree of skepticism. If the evidence is there to prove it, then so be it.” [Science Insider, 2/9/11]
Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL): Senator Jeff Sessions was more than surprised when informed by Senator Barbara Boxer that roughly 98 percent of climate scientists accepted that anthropogenic warming was real and serious — he was outraged:
SESSIONS: Madam Chairman, I am offended by that, I’m offended by that — I didn’t say anything about the scientists. I said the data shows [sic] it is not warming to the degree that a lot of people predicted, not close to that much…
BOXER: The conclusion that you’re coming to is shared by 1-2 percent of the scientists. You shouldn’t be offended by that. That’s the fact.
SESSIONS: I don’t believe that’s correct.
Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL): “Global warming continues to be an issue of significant debate in Congress and throughout the scientific community. In addition, important scientific research is ongoing as there are still many questions that must be answered before we take steps to address this issue. For example, is the climate change phenomenon cyclical or is it a function of manmade pollutants, or both? I believe the science must be firmly grounded before we take any actions that could seriously cripple many sectors of our economy.” [Shelby Letter, 12/14/07]
ALASKA
Rep. Don Young (R-AK-At Large): “I think this is the biggest scam since the Teapot Dome.” [KTVA Interview, 2/18/10]
ARIZONA
Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ-08): “While I am concerned about the potential effects of global warming, I have yet to see clear and convincing evidence that it exists beyond historical fluctuations.” [AZ Central Candidate Survey, 2008]
Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ-04): “Further, “global warming” now known as “climate change” is likely not in our control in any event. Historical records clearly demonstrate vast temperature swings long before Man arrived, from temperate zones in Alaska to ice ages in New York.” [AZ Central Candidate Survey, 2012]
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ): Sen. John McCain, up for re-election, for years during the Bush presidency argued that global warming pollution was an existential threat that required a strict cap-and-trade carbon market. Now that Obama is president and climate policy is a real possibility, McCain sounds and acts like a global warming denier: “I do not support the cap-and-trade energy reform legislation under consideration in Congress. There are dramatic environmental changes happening in the arctic region – whether one believes they are man-made or natural.” McCain now opposes the cap-and-trade policy he once championed, and opposes the EPA finding that greenhouse gases are pollution. [ThinkProgress, 9/13/10]
ARKANSAS
Rep. Rick Crawford (R-AR-01): He also fielded a question regarding climate change and President Obama’s environmental agenda. “There’s not sound science to support some of the initiatives that the President, I think, is committed to. We know that some of the research was faulty and it drove a lot of the agenda for a long time. and then it turned out there were some questions about the validity of that research.” “I don’t see a lot of the green initiatives that are being talked about being supported by scientific data, but more supported by political agendas.” [Talk Business Arkansas, 1/27/13]
Rep. Tim Griffin (R-AR-02): “I am not convinced that the problem of global warming is what the scientists say it is. Particularly in light of the recent research, that demonstrates that there are a lot of shenanigans going on with the data.” [THV 11, 4/12/10]
Sen. John Boozman (R-AR): “Well I think that we’ve got perhaps climate change going on. The question is what’s causing it. Is man causing it, or, you know, is this a cycle that happens throughout the years, throughout the ages. And you can look back some of the previous times when there was no industrialization, you had these different ages, ice ages, and things warming and things. That’s the question.” [ThinkProgress, 9/13/10]
CALIFORNIA
Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA-42): Co-sponsored H.Res.954, a resolution that stated: “Whereas recent events have uncovered extensive evidence from the Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia in England (in this resolution referred to as the ‘CRU’) which involved many researchers across the globe discussing the destruction, altering, and hiding of data that did not support global warming claims.” [H.Res.954, GovTrack, 12/8/09]
Rep. Jeff Denham (R-CA-10): One of the opponents, Sen. Jeff Denham, R-Modesto, said he wants guarantees that the views of global warming skeptics will be taught. “Some wouldn’t view them as skeptics. Some would view them as the right side of the issue. We don’t have complete factual information yet. From what I have seen the Earth has heated and cooled on its own for centuries. I don’t know that there’s anything that is a direct cause of that right now, but we can do a better job of cleaning up our planet.” [Mercury News, 1/1/09]
Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA-50): Hunter ridiculed the notion that climate change needs to be addressed by Congress. “Nobody really knows the cause,” he said. “The earth cools, the earth warms…It could be caused by carbon dioxide or methane. Maybe we should kill the cows to stop the methane, or stop breathing to stop the CO2… Thousands of people die every year of cold, so if we had global warming it would save lives…We ought to look out for people. The earth can take care of itself.” [East Coast Magazine, 8/25/09]
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA-49): “One of the difficulties in examining the issue of the climate change and greenhouse gases is that there is a wide range of scientific opinion on this issue and the science community does not agree to the extent of the problem or the critical threshold of when this problem is truly catastrophic.” [Project Vote Smart Issue Position, 1/1/12]
Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA-01): It’s “bad science.” It’s “Al Gore.” It’s a “naturally occurring cycle.” You should “look at the numbers.” [Grist, 11/5/12]
Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA-04): “We’re all told of course the debate is over and that all the scientists agree… and as all of you know, that is succinctly not the case.” [International Conference on Climate Change, 5/9/09]
Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA-22): “However, scientists admit that they cannot be sure whether the Earth’s temperature is rising due to cyclical warming and cooling processes, or whether and how much humans are influencing it.” [Project Vote Smart Issue Position, 1/1/12]
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA-48): “Just so you’ll know, global warming is a total fraud and it’s being designed because what you’ve got is you’ve got liberals who get elected at the local level want state government to do the work and let them make the decisions. Then, at the state level, they want the federal government to do it. And at the federal government, they want to create global government to control all of our lives.” [Huffington Post, 8/12/13]
COLORADO
Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO-06): “Climate change is naturally occurring. What influence do we have over that, we certainly need to look into, but that’s subject to debate.” [The Atlantic, 6/15/12]
Rep. Cory Gardner (R-CO-04): “I think the climate is changing, but I don’t believe humans are causing that change to the extent that’s been in the news.” [ThinkProgress, 9/21/10]
Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO-05): Lamborn said there are “a lot of contentious facts and claims about global warming and whether it is man made.” However, he said there is “not much unanimity” about it. At that statement many audience members commented that 98 percent was “pretty unanimous.” Lamborn said he spoke to a scientist who believes that global warming is man-made and “should materialize” 50-100 years from now. He said there are issues that need dealing with now. Eckler asked again if he would listen to the evidence claiming global warming is here and now. After more back-and-forth on the issue, Lamborn said, “I think we’ve beaten this horse to a pulp. I’m listening to all sides.” [The Mountain Mail, 6/3/13]
Rep. Scott Tipton (R-CO-03): Scott Tipton (R-CO) conceded that climate change exists, but argued that it’s caused by natural climate cycles rather than humans. “Here in the state of Colorado as our tree rings demonstrate, we’ve had droughts long before there were very many people here,” the Tea Party freshman argued. Acknowledging that humans can affect the climate is futile because it would “divide America,” said Tipton. [ThinkProgress, 8/23/12]
FLORIDA
Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL-25): “I know there’s a lot of money to be made on the bandwagon of global warming, you can make movies, documentaries, get a lot of research money – and that’s okay, I love capitalism.” “My fear is using the bandwagon of global warming to have Congress act on some knee-jerk reaction which will please some editorialists, will hurt our economy, will not do anything to help us in the future.” [Mario Diaz-Balart Video, 9/25/07]
Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL-01): “I have scientists that I rely on, the scientists that I rely on say our climate has changed. It wasn’t just a few years ago, what was the problem that existed? It wasn’t global warming, we were gonna all be an ice cube. We’re not ice cubes. Our climate will continue to change because of the way God formed the earth.” According to Buzzfeed, earlier at the same event, Miller announced his intentions to defund the Environmental Protection Agency and responded to questions about a scientific consensus on climate change by saying none existed. [Buzzfeed, 8/14/13]
Rep. Bill Posey (R-FL-08): Co-sponsored H.Res.954, a resolution that stated: “Whereas recent events have uncovered extensive evidence from the Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia in England (in this resolution referred to as the ‘CRU’) which involved many researchers across the globe discussing the destruction, altering, and hiding of data that did not support global warming claims.” [H.Res.954, GovTrack, 12/8/09]
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL): “I don’t think there’s the scientific evidence to justify it,” Rubio said. Asked whether he accepts the scientific evidence that the global climate is undergoing change, he responded, “The climate is always changing. The climate is never static. The question is whether it’s caused by man-made activity and whether it justifies economically destructive government regulation.” [Tampa Tribune, 2/13/10]
GEORGIA
Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA-10): In June 2009, Broun received a standing ovation when he said that global warming is a “hoax”. He said “Scientists all over this world say that the idea of human induced global climate change is one of the greatest hoaxes perpetrated out of the scientific community. It is a hoax. There is no scientific consensus.” [ThinkProgress, 6/26/09]
Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA-09): When asked if he believes human activity is contributing to climate change, Representative Collins answered “no.” [Project Vote Smart Political Courage Test, 2012]
Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-GA-11): Co-filed a petition to the Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider the endangerment find that said: “Climategate reveals a serious lack of integrity in the underlying data and models, such that it is doubtful that any process can be trusted until the data and models are validated and their integrity assured.” [Petition to EPA, 12/23/09]
Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA-01): “We have a moral duty to be good stewards of the environment but growing the government’s coffers and killing jobs based on questionable science is a bridge too far.” [Kingston Website, 6/30/10]
Rep. Tom Price (R-GA-06): “This decision goes against all common sense, especially considering the many recent revelations of errors and obfuscation in the allegedly ‘settled science’ of global warming.” [Republican Study Committee]
Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA-03): Co-filed a petition to the Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider the endangerment find that said: “Climategate reveals a serious lack of integrity in the underlying data and models, such that it is doubtful that any process can be trusted until the data and models are validated and their integrity assured.” [Petition to EPA, 12/23/09]
Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA): “Science has shown us that there has been a gradual warming of the earth over the last 50 years. What is not as clear is whether the cause for this warming is man-made emissions, a cyclical warming of the planet, or a combination of both. Given the uncertainty in the science behind climate change, I believe that we should take proactive steps, both personally and as a nation, to reduce our emissions footprint.” [Project Vote Smart Issue Position, 1/1/11]
IDAHO
Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID): “While there is no dispute over the fact that the Earthís climate has changed many times over the planet’s history, the underlying cause of these climactic shifts is ultimately not well-understood and is a matter of vigorous debate.” [Crapo Website]
ILLINOIS
Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL-13): During an interview with Illinois Public Media radio, a constituent asked Representative Rodney Davis what he planned to do to combat climate change, and he responded that “global warming has stopped 16 years ago.” He then went on the say that climate change is real but the debate is over whether or not it is manmade or natural. [Illinois Public Media, 10/16/12]
Rep. Randy Hultgren (R-IL-14): “The greatest impact on our climate clearly is the sun, and we have very little impact on the sun and how much energy and temperature the sun is sending to the earth. We have seen clearly over thousands of years that at different times more energy has come through and different times less energy has come through, and that variation has impacted climate change. Over the thousands of years that’s been recorded we’ve had both colder times and warmer times. It happens to be that we’ve recently come out of a warmer time and now actually we’re headed in to a little bit of a colder time, the impact of the sun is much different than impact that we could have had.” [Illinois Review, 12/2/09]
Peter Roskam (R-IL-06): Roskam drew the ire of the crowd by calling global warming junk science. [College of DuPage Courier, 10/20/06]
Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL-15): During his introductory remarks at a House Subcommittee on Energy and Environment hearing, Representative Shimkus read from the bible to prove that global warming will not destroy the earth because only God can decide when the earth will end: “The earth will end only when God declares it is time to be over. Man will not destroy this earth. This earth will not be destroyed by a flood.” [House Subcommittee on Energy and Environment Hearing, 3/25/2009]
INDIANA
Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-IN-08): “The data does not support the premise that carbon dioxide emissions are playing a significant role in the world temperature variations. The temperature of the Earth has been changing over centuries with warmer and colder periods throughout history.” [Campaign Website, 10/28/2010]
Rep. Todd Rokita (R-IN-04): At a town hall event in Indiana, Rep. Rokita said that humans are not responsible for climate change, and that it is “arrogant” to think they could be. Rokita, who has previously questioned man-made climate change, saying that it is “under debate,” took a more definitive stand against it during his Monday town hall: “I think it’s arrogant that we think as people that we can somehow change the climate of the whole earth when science is telling us that there’s a cycle to all this,” he said. “And that cycle was occurring before the industrial revolution and I suspect will occur way into the future.” [ThinkProgress, 8/27/13]
Rep. Todd Young (R-IN-09): Mr. Young, the Indiana Republican nominee trying to unseat Mr. Hill for the Ninth Congressional District seat, strongly opposes cap and trade and other unilateral measures to combat global warming. He says he is uncertain what is causing the observed heating of the planet, adding that it could be caused by sunspots or the normal cycles of nature. “The science is not settled,” he said in an interview in his headquarters in Bloomington, Ind. And he said that given the scientific uncertainty, it was not wise to make major changes in the nation’s energy economy to reduce carbon emissions. [New York Times, 10/20/10]
Sen. Dan Coats (R-IN): At a candidate forum Saturday, the Republicans running for the U.S. Senate dismissed the threat of global warming, as well. Former U.S. Rep. John Hostettler called it “junk science.” State Sen. Marlin Stutzman called it a “manufactured controversy.” Former U.S. Sen. Dan Coats discussed this year’s snowstorm in Washington, D.C., ignoring scientists who say global warming causes intensified weather consistent with such a snowstorm. [Evansville Courier & Press, 4/18/10]
IOWA
Rep. Steve King (R-IA-04): King is insistent that climate change is “not science” and that environmentalists are missing the potential upsides. At an event sponsored by the climate-denying, Koch-funded Americans For Prosperity, King told the audience that climate change “is not proven, it’s not science. It’s more of a religion than a science.” He also argued that an increase in carbon in the atmosphere might actually be a good thing: “Everything that might result from a warmer planet is always bad in [environmentalists’] analysis,” he said. “There will be more photosynthesis going on if the Earth gets warmer… And if sea levels go up 4 or 6 inches, I don’t know if we’d know that.” [ThinkProgress, 8/7/13]
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA): “But the scientific aspect that I’m still reserving judgment on is the extent to which it’s manmade or natural. And it’s reasonable, considering that there’s at least a natural factor in it, because historically, and you can go to the core drillings in the glaciers to get proof of this, that we’ve had decades and decades, and maybe even centuries of periods of time when there’s been a tremendous rise in temperature, and then a tremendous fall in temperature. And all you’ve got to do is look at the little ice age of the mid-last millennia as an example. And so we’ve got to single out what’s natural and what’s manmade before you can make policy.” [Grist, 8/26/09]
KANSAS
Rep. Lynn Jenkins (R-KS-02): “I cosponsored a res. overturning an EPA rule that says man-made greenhouse gas emissions are a danger to public health.” [Twitter, 3/3/10]
Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-KS-04): When asked if he believes global warming is a problem, Pompeo responded: “Look, I think the science needs to continue to develop. I’m happy to continue to look at it. There are scientists who think lots of different things about climate change. There’s some who think we’re warming, there’s some who think we’re cooling, there’s some who think that the last 16 years have shown a pretty stable climate environment.” [C-SPAN Interview, 6/25/13]
Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS): “There’s no question there’s some global warming, but I’m not sure what it means. A lot of this is condescending elitism.” [Topeka Capital-Journal, 8/24/10]
KENTUCKY
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY-04): Rep. Thomas Massie challenged President Obama to roll out the proof that humans have played a hand in climate change. Mr. Massie, a Kentucky Republican, said he was “disappointed” that the president in his second inaugural address blamed droughts on “human activity” and accused some of “denying the evidence of scientists.” “As somebody with a science-type background, I took offense at that,” Mr. Massie said during a panel meeting billed as “Conversations With Conservatives.” “I would challenge him to show us the linkage — the undeniable linkage — between droughts and the change of weather, and some kind of human activity.” [Washington Times Inside Politics Blog, 1/22/13]
Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY-01): “Misrepresenting scientific research to support one’s own personal beliefs, particularly on an international stage, is dangerous, disingenuous and simply unacceptable. I call on Mr. Gore to come clean about the real science surrounding climate change and let the American people come to their own conclusions on global warming.” [Whitfield Website, 12/15/09]
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY): “As recently as 30-35 years ago we were worried about the globe getting too cold,” McConnell said. “I suppose over decades and maybe centuries weíll figure this out,” he said. [Courier Journal, 7/6/12]
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY): “[Scientists] are making up their facts to fit their conclusions. They’ve already caught them doing this.” [Rally for the Republicans, 1/30/10]
LOUISIANA
Rep. William Cassidy (R-LA-06): Rep. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) suggested that the cause of climate change “could just be a shift on the axis,” rather the increase in carbon dioxide pollution linked to climate change. [ThinkProgress, 12/16/11]
Rep. John Fleming (R-LA-04): “Quietly released scientific report without fanfare. Global warming, to the the extent that it ever existed, halted 16 years ago. So, what is Washington controlled by the radical environmental agenda?” [Fleming Facebook Post, 10/14/12]
Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA-01): Asked whether he worries that he could be wrong, Scalise cited an “increasing number of scientists who are raising major questions about the global warming theories.” Those doubts, he said, were only accelerated by the release of leaked e-mail messages last month from a leading climate scientist who suggested theories running counter to the view that human pollutants are causing global warming be eliminated or downplayed. [Times Picayune, 12/15/09]
Sen. David Vitter (R-LA): “I do not think the science clearly supports global warming theory.” [KLFY, 10/28/10]
MARYLAND
Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD-01): Harris said there is a recent warming trend, but “I don’t understand or know, or I don’t believe anybody really knows, how to place that in historic perspective.” He also said human contribution to climate change “is also a complex question,” and that even if humans are contributing, “can you change that contribution given that we burn a lot of carbon-based products to create the energy we need to run the economy of the world?” [Politico, 11/30/12]
MICHIGAN
Rep. Dan Benishek (R-MI-01): Despite overwhelming scientific evidence that humans are contributing to climate change, Rep. Benishek has said that climate change is “all baloney” and “just some scheme.” Pointing to his background as a general surgeon, Benishek claims he’s “a scientist” who has the expertise to know that climate change is “unproven science stuff.” [LCV Dirty Dozen, 7/24/12]
Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI-04): “What is the science of climate change? What can it definitively tell us? Can it say who is responsible for it? Can it tell us what impact we can have on it, and if we can, what are the results—both positive and negative? From what I have read, there remains a great deal of uncertainty with regard to the scientific evidence about climate change.” [Opening Statement of Ranking Member Dave Camp, Hearing on Scientific Objectives for Climate Change Legislation]
Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI-02): “Today’s global warming doomsayers simply lack the scientific evidence to support their claims. A host of leaders in the scientific community have recognized that the argument for drastic anthropogenic global warming is no longer based on science, but is being driven by irrational fanaticism.” [VoteMI. Org]
Rep. Candice Miller (R-MI-10): “There is little doubt that the world’s climate is changing, because the climate has always changed. Just ask the dinosaurs or remember the ice age and how huge glaciers melting and moving formed our Great Lakes. The question is whether the current climate change is human-induced.” [Miller, 12/14/09]
Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI-08): “Now, the disturbing disclosure that climate-science researchers may have altered temperature data to justify their desired results creates a new set of concerns about this job-killing legislation. Our committee has a responsibility to fully investigate these alarming reports of altered data and to determine if the results are completely accurate and based on true science.” [Project Vote Smart, Rogers Statement, 12/3/09]
Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI-06): “I have said many times, and there was a report a couple of weeks ago that in fact you look at this last year, it was the warmest year in the last decade, I think was the numbers that came out. I don’t — I accept that. I do not say that it is man-made.” [ThinkProgress, 2/8/11]
Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI-07): “I read scientists, editors…an equal number at the very least that say just the opposite that this is something that’s gone on for eons, that we go through these cycles.” [Town Hall, 7/25/08]
MINNESOTA
Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-MN-06): “Carbon dioxide, Mister Speaker, is a natural byproduct of nature. Carbon dioxide is natural. It occurs in Earth. It is a part of the regular lifecycle of Earth. In fact, life on planet Earth can’t even exist without carbon dioxide. So necessary is it to human life, to animal life, to plant life, to the oceans, to the vegetation that’s on the Earth, to the, to the fowl that — that flies in the air, we need to have carbon dioxide as part of the fundamental lifecycle of Earth.” [Floor Speech, 4/22/09]
Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-MN-03): When asked if human beings are contributing to global warming, Paulsen said he wasn’t smart enough to know whether that’s true or not. [Minnesota Public Radio, 8/16/08]
MISSISSIPPI
Rep. Gregg Harper (R-MS-03): “I don’t believe that the science is at all settled on man-made global warming.” [Mississippi State University Event, 11/2/12]
Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS): “Science shows that there is an increase of carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere. But it has not been compellingly proven that mankind is responsible for the rise in atmospheric CO2, nor is it clear what impact CO2 has on Earth’s temperatures.” [Wicker Website, 12/14/09]
MISSOURI
Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO-03): Luetkemeyer’s legislation would prohibit U.S. contributions to the IPCC, which is nothing more than a group of U.N. bureaucrats that supports man-made claims on global warming that many scientists disagree with. Meanwhile, our very own Environmental Protection Agency recently reported that we are undergoing a period of worldwide cooling. [Luetkemeyer Website]
Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-MO-04): “Enjoying another beautiful global warming day in Missouri! Rep. Skelton and the UN Summit need to quit their dist. of wealth for a hoax.” [Twitter, 12/15/09]
Rep. Ann Wagner (R-MO-02): “The field of climate science is in its relative infancy and it appears that some within the public policy world have made dubious assessments of scientific information in order to further their own political agenda. Our policy response to this dilemma should not be based on inconsistent and unsound science or driven by the fear of a supposed catastrophe.” [Riverfront Times, 5/29/13]
Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO): “There isn’t any real science to say we are altering the climate path of the earth.” [Human Events, 4/29/09]
MONTANA
Rep. Steve Daines (R-MT-At Large): In a radio interview with Montana Public Radio, Daines admits the climate is changing but questions the impacts by man, that there is “significant debate here,” the “jury is still out,” and brings up the debate of sun/solar cycles versus greenhouse gases. [Montana Public Radio, 12/2/12]
NEBRASKA
Rep. Lee Terry (R-NE-02): “There’s an argument here on the true impact of man… Is it really 97 to 3? I don’t think so.” [Esquire, 8/7/12]
Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE): Asked about man-made climate change, Fischer immediately said, ‘I certainly don’t support cap-and-trade.’ She said she believes in weather change, but she said she does not believe man has a huge impact on the climate. [The Independent, 8/25/12]
Sen. Mike Johanns (R-NE): “There is a significant debate as to what role man plays in warming of the climate.” [Nebraska Senate Debate, 8/23/08]
Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE-03): In an interview with Nebraska Citizen, Rep. Smith was asked if he believes in global warming, to which he responded “No!” The reporter said that Rep. Smith believes many of the “facts” about global warming are in dispute. [Nebraska Citizen, 11/22/05]
NEVADA
Rep. Mark Amodei (R-NV-02): “The issue of climate change is very controversial and many scientists disagree as to its causes and how to handle it. I recognize that some scientists believe that global warming is caused by failed environmental practices; however, others argue that these temperature increases would incur regardless due to the warming of the center of the earth. I do not believe it is appropriate for the federal government to advocate one position over the other. Since, we do not know much about long-term climate change, I do agree we must have an unbiased research effort funded by both the government and the private sector to answer the essential questions about climate change.” [Daily Kos, 8/16/13]
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH): Asked if she believed in climate change, she said, “there is scientific evidence that demonstrates there is some impact from human activities. However I don’t think the evidence is conclusive.” [Sea Coast Online, 9/30/10]
NEW JERSEY
Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ-05): “The real question that still exists in a lot of people’s minds, experts and non-experts alike, on the area of global warming and what role the government should have in this realm… I’ve heard a number of experts on both sides of the equation on this issue and to me the evidence, the question is still out there.” [North Jersey Q&A, 9/30/10]
Rep. Leonard Lance (R-NJ-07): “The disclosure of emails from the CRU is very troubling and merits a thorough and transparent investigation. Clearly there is a strong appearance that important scientific research may have been tainted by politics.” [Lance Website, 12/3/09]
Rep. Jon Runyan (R-NJ-03): Many of Runyan’s views align with those of the national Republican Party, such as “getting government out of the way,” being hesitant about the science of global warming and prohibiting gay marriage. He also said he is against cap-and-trade, a system that would put limits on the amount of carbon companies can produce, which he believes would be disastrous by raising energy prices. [Press of Atlantic City, 3/17/10]
NEW MEXICO
Rep. Steve Pearce (R-NM-02): “I think we ought to take a look at whatever the group is that measures all this, the IPCC, they don’t even believe the crap… why should the rest of be penalized in our standard of living for something that can’t be validated?” [Politico, 8/18/10]
NEW YORK
Rep. Michael Grimm (R-NY-11): “I have been one of the guys who have been skeptical of global warming from the beginning. The jury is obviously still out on it. We see nothing but conflicting reports from across the globe. I’m not sure, I’m not a scientist.” [Molinari Republican Club Debate, 3/13/10]
NORTH CAROLINA
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC-05): North Carolina Republican Virginia Foxx referenced books by climate-change skeptics and lamented that some environmentalists “think that we, human beings, have more impact on the climate and the world than God does.” [Huffington Post, 4/7/11]
Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC-08): When asked if human activity is contributing to climate change, he responded no. [Project Vote Smart Political Courage Survey]
Rep. Walter B. Jones (R-NC-03): “However, there is substantial disagreement regarding the extent of this warming, whether it’s caused by human activity or simply nature taking its course, and what solutions, if any, should be implemented. The bottom line is that the scientific community does not speak with one voice on this issue.” [Crystal Coast Tea Party, Jones Letter, 12/17/09]
Rep. Robert Pittenger (R-NC-09): While the Earth is currently warming, the real question that should be asked is, “Can we do anything about it?” The answer is very little, since this cycle was occurring prior to the first human civilizations.” [Charlotte Observer, 2/7/06]
Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC): Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) said he is skeptical of recent reports showing a threat of rising sea levels in his home state. [ThinkProgress, 9/13/10]
NORTH DAKOTA
Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-ND-At Large): When asked if he believed that human activity is contributing to climate change, Mr. Cramer answered “no” and went on to say: “The manipulation of free markets by economic policy disguised as environmental policy based on inconclusive science should not be tolerated. Free people producing energy other free people want and are willing to pay for should be the core of U.S. energy policy.” [Project Vote Smart Political Courage Survey]
Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND): “Well, the science shows that there’s warming. There’s different opinions of exactly what’s causing it.” [Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Hearing]
OHIO
Rep. John Boehner (R-OH-08): “George, the idea that carbon dioxide is a carcinogen that is harmful to our environment is almost comical. Every time we exhale, we exhale carbon dioxide. Every cow in the world, you know, when they do what they do, you’ve got more carbon dioxide.” [ABC News Transcript, 4/19/09]
Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH-01): Climategate is “just another example of many in the press, and many in the academic/scientific community having bought into the whole global warming/climate change ‘religion,’ no matter what the facts are.” [Chabot, 12/16/09]
Rep. Bob Gibbs (R-OH-07): “It is clear that science has not been able to document what is happening and if human activity is causing a problem or not. Many scientists are on both sides of this issue and the proponents of climate change have not substantiated their findings based on sound science.” [League of Women Voters 2010 Voters Guide]
Rep. Bill Johnson (R-OH-06): In another, more accurate, sense, Johnson is a man with a degree in computer science who is awash in oil and gas money and denies climate science, asserting in 2011, “I am not an alarmist that believes that greenhouse gas emissions coming from the coal industry are causing major problems.” [ThinkProgress, 6/6/13]
Rep. Steve Stivers (R-OH-15): Disagrees with the statement: “Man-made global warming is a scientific fact.” [NRDC Action Fund, 8/30/10]
Rep. Pat Tiberi (R-OH-12): GOP Rep. Pat Tiberi of Genoa Township doesn’t think there is a consensus among scientists about whether global warming is proven. [Columbus Dispatch, 12/20/09]
Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH): “When you analyze all the data, there is a warming trend according to science. But the jury is out on the degree of how much is manmade.” [Columbus Dispatch, 7/25/10]
OKLAHOMA
Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-OK-01): He downplayed the need for more climate research by noting that atmospheric temperatures have not risen over the last decade, and said temperatures coincide more with solar activity than with man-made factors. “Global temperatures stopped rising 10 years ago,” he said. “Global temperature changes, when they exist, correlate with sun output and ocean cycles.” He noted the Medieval Warm Period that happened “long before cars, power plants and the industrial revolution.” And he noted the Little Ice Age, which also happened irrespective of human activity.” Even climate change alarmists admit that the number of hurricanes hitting the U.S. and the number of tornado touchdowns have been on a slow decline for over 100 years,” he said. [The Hill, 6/11/13]
Rep. James Lankford (R-OK-05): “This whole global warming myth will be exposed as what it really is — a way of control more than anything else. And that generation will be ticked.” [Edmond Sun, 2/16/10]
Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK-02): “I haven’t seen the reports that would get me to believe that anything’s different [with regards to climate change] than the patterns that we had that we’ve gone through through the time of records.” [ThinkProgress, 8/9/13]
Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK): “I am a global warming denier. I don’t deny that. The climate is changing, and has been as long as there has been a climate.” As a physician and a man of science, Coburn said he thinks the evidence points that the Earth is moving into a “mini-ice age.” [Tulsa World, 8/27/13]
Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK): “I have offered compelling evidence that catastrophic global warming is a hoax. That conclusion is supported by the painstaking work of the nation’s top climate scientists.” [Inhofe, 7/9/03]
PENNSYLVANIA
Rep. Lou Barletta (R-PA-11): “You know there’s arguments on both sides. I’m not convinced that there’s scientific evidence that proves that. I believe there’s some that can also argue the opposite,” he said. [Citizens Voice, 10/17/10]
Rep. Charles Dent (R-PA-15): “I am concerned that world leaders and scientists are gathering in Copenhagen this week to potentially develop global climate treaties at a time when the international community is questioning the legitimacy of leading climate scientists.” “Unfortunately, the revelation of these deceitful emails has tarnished the credibility of significant scientific research.” [Dent Website, 12/7/09]
Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA-18): “I think it is dangerous science for Congress to declare climate theory a fact.” [ThinkProgress, 3/15/11]
Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA-04): “I do believe global warming is occurring… However, I do take exception, whether it’s man-made or not. I learned in public school, the scientific theory… You have a theory and it has to be proven. And I’m concerned anytime that a nation, or the world, makes up policy based on a theory that… has gained consensus but” does not have proof, he said. [YDR Politics, 9/20/12]
Rep. Keith Rothfus (R-PA-12): Keith Rothfus responded: “I do not believe it’s man-made and I am not convinced that it is a fact. I think the science is still out. I think for the last 15 years we haven’t had any warming.” to the question: “Do you believe that global warming which is now referred to as climate change is a fact, and if so do you believe that it is man-made? [Roundtable Interview, 9/8/10]
Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA-09): Today, Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA) offered a new reason not to take action on global warming: it’s cold in Copenhagen, where the UN Climate Change Conference is currently taking place. [Media Matters, 12/15/09]
Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-PA-05): “In the debate and most of the debate of the majority party here, it’s not so much based on real science as political science or even, to some degree, science fiction. And so, to look at why this–and I looked at every piece of legislation in terms of cost benefits. And when we look at the benefits of this, I think human activity, it’s acknowledged, does contribute towards carbon dioxide emissions. But it’s less than 4 percent. To put that into perspective, forest fires, wildfires contribute 10 percent of CO2 emissions. And so not even with the debate of, you know, are we warming the Earth or not warming the Earth, there’s a lot of smart folks out there that are publishing research or earning their dissertations based on debating that science. But what the experts agree upon, the researchers agree is, human activity is less than 4 percent contributes towards CO2 emissions.” [Congressional Record, 6/2/09]
Sen. Patrick Toomey (R-PA): “My view is: I think the data is pretty clear. There has been an increase in the surface temperature of the planet over the course of the last 100 years or so. I think it’s clear that that has happened. The extent to which that has been caused by human activity I think is not as clear. I think that is still very much disputed and has been debated.” [ThinkProgress Video, 10/8/10]
SOUTH CAROLINA
Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-SC-03): “The problem with the agency’s finding is that it relies on questionable science and ignores vigorous dissention among the scientific community. Even if we set aside the abundance of scientific dissention when it comes to the EPA’s endangerment findings or the supposed effects of CO2 on climate, the EPA’s regulations will not reduce CO2 enough to have any meaningful effect.” [Duncan, 2012]
Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC-04): “Global warming has not been proven to the satisfaction of the constituents I seek to serve.” [Go Upstate, 5/23/10]
Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-SC-05): “Energy independence, green technology, and innovation is something we should pursue as a nation. However, we shouldn’t seek to accomplish that by taxing people based on questionable science. Neither should we ignore domestic energy resources — coal, natural gas, oil — because of baseless claims regarding global warming.” [Mulvaney Website]
Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC-02): When asked if he believes that human activity is contributing to climate change, Rep. Wilson answered “no.” [Project Vote Smart Political Courage Survey]
SOUTH DAKOTA
Sen. John Thune (R-SD): “I guess the answer to the question is I’m not sure,” Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) told Politico when asked his views on climate science. “I think there’s a real mix of data on that. “Obviously, I think the question you have to ask yourself, one, is it occurring?” Thune added. “And even if you say ‘yes’ to that, two, is human activity contributing to it? And even if you say ‘yes’ to that, then three is what are we going to do about it and at what cost?” [Politico, 10/25/10]
TENNESSEE
Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-06): “The far left-wing elements of this administration foresee a near future with carbon regulated as a pollutant and heavily taxed to discourage consumption and generate revenue. We must resist all of these radical approaches all geared to raise energy prices on American families and businesses.” [Project Vote Smart Issue Position]
Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07): “Also absent from the discussion in Copenhagen is the climate-gate scandal. Recently leaked e-mails reveal climate scientists have a long track record of manipulating data to hide scientific evidence that contradicts the global warming establishment. And why? To bully citizens and lawmakers into supporting job-killing energy tax schemes. This scandal raises serious questions about the Democrat’s climate control plans, questions that deserve a transparent investigation, not a rush to judgment by the bureaucrats in Copenhagen.” [Weekly Republican Address, 12/11/09]
Rep. John J. Duncan Jr. (R-TN-02): On his website, he lists 5 scientists that claim global warming is not real, including how global warming is “the greatest scam in history.” [Duncan Website]
Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN-03): When asked his opinion about global warming in a candidate debate Thursday night, 3rd District Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, said this: “I think we ought to take Al Gore, put him on an iceberg, and put him way out there.” [Times Free Press, 7/5/12]
Rep. Phil Roe (R-TN-01): “Many believe greenhouse gas emissions are contributing to the gradual warming of our planet and changing of our climate. While there are many questions surrounding the science of the issue, it seems to me like we could develop a solution that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions without inflicting catastrophic damage on our economy.” [Project Vote Smart Issue Position, 1/1/11]
TEXAS
Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX-06): “I don’t deny that the climate is changing. I think you can have an honest difference of opinion on what’s causing that change without automatically being either all-in that it’s all because of mankind or it’s all just natural. I think there’s a divergence of evidence… I would point out if you’re a believer in the Bible, one would have to say the Great Flood is an example of climate change. And that certainly wasn’t because mankind overdeveloped hydrocarbon energy.” [Raw Story, 4/10/13]
Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX-26): “My opinion, for what it is worth, is that the science behind global temperature changes is not settled.” [Subcommittee on Energy and Power Hearing, 3/8/11]
Rep. John Carter (R-TX-31): “Global warming is simply a chicken-little scheme to use mass media and government propaganda to convince the world that destruction of individual liberties and national sovereignty is necessary to save mankind, and that the unwashed masses would destroy themselves without the enlightened global dictatorship of these frauds.” [Carter Website]
Rep. K. Michael Conaway (R-TX-11): “Science is never settled… they changed the phraseology because the climate isn’t warming.” [House Floor, 6/29/09]
Rep. John Culberson (R-TX-07): “This week the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) decided that the air we exhale, carbon dioxide, is toxic and poses a danger to our well-being… While this blatant power grab is disappointing, the truly alarming part is that the scientific evidence the EPA used to support its conclusion comes directly from United Nations (U.N.) climate data — the same data that were recently found to have been deliberately manipulated to support the global warming movement. When EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson announced the proposed endangerment finding in April, she readily admitted that the agency “relied heavily upon the major findings and conclusions from recent assessments of the U.S. Climate Change Science Program and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.” Emails recently made public offer definitive proof of a collective effort among some U.N. scientists to misrepresent climate data in order to foist their political agenda onto the public.” [Culberson, 12/9/09]
Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-TX-27): “Global warming is scare tactic used by groups with a political agenda. While I support protecting the environment, the green agenda pushes it way beyond common sense, with ideas like cap and trade which would destroy American industry.” [Farenthold Website]
Rep. Bill Flores (R-TX-17): It is time we stopped putting petty politics based on dubious “agenda-driven, scientific” research ahead of creating more American energy.” [Flores Campaign Website, 12/18/11]
Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX-01): “We’re finding out the world is staying the same or actually cooling.” [Washington News Observer Interview, 12/17/09]
Rep. Ralph Hall (R-TX-04): “I’m really more fearful of freezing. And I don’t have any science to prove that. But we have a lot of science that tells us they’re not basing it on real scientific facts.” [Science Insider, 12/14/11]
Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX-10): Co-sponsored H.Res.954, a resolution that stated: “Whereas recent events have uncovered extensive evidence from the Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia in England (in this resolution referred to as the ‘CRU’) which involved many researchers across the globe discussing the destruction, altering, and hiding of data that did not support global warming claims.” [H.Res.954, GovTrack, 12/8/09]
Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-TX-19): “What we have here is a case of formulating scientific findings that back up policy, instead of creating policy that is backed up by legitimate science. Proponents of man-made global warming in Congress will use every opportunity they have to invite witnesses to testify before Congress who only share their point of view. We now have clear evidence of what we knew all along, that there are perhaps thousands of scientists who don’t share these views, and sadly have been the subject of concerted efforts to discourage and suppress their findings from publication.” [Neugebauer, 12/1/09]
Rep. Pete Olson (R-TX-22): “The emails that emerge from the University of East Anglia call into question the accuracy of the IPCC data.” [C-SPAN Video, 12/8/09]
Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX-02): The consensus has been for some time that global warming, climate change, continues because man is the perpetrator. Now we are beginning to learn that may not be true, that there is not a consensus that there is global warming or climate change. We now have heard about Climategate, where the expert scientists hid emails in England that disagreed with the so-called consensus that there is global warming and global climate change. We have heard now new evidence that even NASA is involved in not revealing evidence that contradicts climate change. [Congressional Record, 12/15/09]
Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX-21): “Contrary to the claims of those who want to strictly regulate carbon dioxide emissions and increase the cost of energy for all Americans, there is a great amount of uncertainty associated with climate science. These uncertainties undermine our ability to accurately determine how carbon dioxide has affected the climate in the past. They also limit our understanding of how anthropogenic emissions will affect future warming trends. Further confusing the policy debate, the models that scientists have come to rely on to make climate predictions have greatly overestimated warming. Contrary to model predictions, data released in October from the University of East Anglia’s Climate Research Unit show that global temperatures have held steady over the past 15 years, despite rising greenhouse gas emissions. Among the facts that are clear, however, are that U.S. emissions contribute very little to global concentrations of greenhouse gas, and that even substantial cuts in these emissions are likely to have no effect on temperature.” [Smith Op-Ed, 5/19/13]
Rep. Steve Stockman (R-TX-36): “The new fad thing that’s going through America and around the world. It’s called global warming.” [Stockman Video, 12/3/09]
Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX-13): “Global Warming: Politics or Science? Some scientists believe that the temperature of the Earth is increasing rapidly. Others, such as those at the United Kingdom’s Hadley Center for Climate Studies, say that the Earth’s temperature is not much different now than it was 50 or 100 years ago. The case that man is causing any change in temperature is even more hotly contested.” [Thornberry, 5/14/09]
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX): “Taxpayer funded research by NASA and the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) concerning the warmest years on record has been the subject of dispute and after challenges, has been changed and re-released. What is less known is why the changes were made and what inherent flaws existed in the original data, if any. It is important to understand the reasons behind these alterations and further to avoid suspicion that data was massaged to fit the prescribed theory that global warming is attributable to man-made greenhouse gas emissions.” [Cornyn, 12/16/09]
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): “There remains considerable uncertainty about the effect of the many factors that influence climate: the sun, the oceans, clouds, the behavior of water vapor (the main greenhouse gas), volcanic activity, and human activity. Nonetheless, climate-change proponents based their models on assumptions about those factors, and now we know that many of those assumptions were wrong.” [Dallas News Voter Guide]
<
UTAH
Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT-01): “Despite the fact that scientific data underlying the studies of global warming appear to have been manipulated to produce an intended outcome, EPA officials disregarded the contaminated science, calling it little more than a ‘blip on the history of this process.’” [Bishop, 12/8/09]
Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT-03): Chaffetz lambasts global warming (calling it “a farce”). [Daily Herald, 6/14/08]
Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT-02): “The science regarding climate change is anything but settled.” [St. Louis Tribune, 4/13/13]
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT): “There is also some disagreement among scientists as to whether global warming — regardless of its cause — would result in a net benefit or detriment to life on earth. Scientific studies demonstrate overwhelmingly that humans tend to fare better during warming spells than periods of cooling.” [Hatch Website]
VIRGINIA
Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA-07): “If there’s been any constant in human history, it’s been climate change. The real question is the severity of that and the involvement of human causes in all of that.” [ThinkProgress Video, 12/7/09]
Rep. J. Randy Forbes (R-VA-04): “Elected officials need to depend on experts in the field to make determinations on the degree to which our planet is warming, and there is evidence among scientists and researchers pointing in both directions.” [Times Dispatch, 7/4/10]
Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA-06): “There is no doubt that the earth’s climate is changing. The earth and its climate are dynamic, and have changed throughout history even without human activity. We have reached a point where some experts concur that the earth is once again warming. Regardless of the reason, the debate over climate change should remind us that we should be good stewards of our planet.” [Times Dispatch, 7/4/10]
Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA-09): “[Climate Change] led to the Vikings dominating Europe for several hundred years.” [Climate Change Hearing, 3/8/11]
Rep. Robert Hurt (R-VA-05): Hurt said Climategate is “scientists who have given us something that is not true. It is faulty information and it has real consequences in the 5th District, in the loss of jobs and in power bills from Appalachian Power Co.” [Daily Progress, 2/28/10]
Rep. Scott Rigell (R-VA-02): Does not believe that climate change is caused by human actions. [Hampton Roads, 6/3/10]
Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA-01): “We must recognize that these climactic cycles of heating and cooling have been going on well before man appeared on earth.” [Times Dispatch, 7/4/10]
WASHINGTON
Rep. Doc Hastings (R-WA-04): Hastings told the Columbia Basin Herald he understands global warming exists. He said the cause of global warming is the concern. Hastings said he is not convinced people and their actions are the cause of global warming and questions if it is a natural process because the earth has warmed and cooled many times throughout history. [Daily Kos, 2/27/08]
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA-05): “We believe Al Gore deserves an ‘F’ in science and an ‘A’ in creative writing.” [Whitman Pioneer, 4/9/09]
WEST VIRGINIA
Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV-02): Despite a widespread scientific consensus, the West Virginia Republican said she’s “not convinced” that human-caused emissions of carbon dioxide are leading to global warming that will alter the planet’s climate in ways that could be dangerous. “I’m looking at the studies, and trying to understand it,” Capito said in a phone interview. “But I’m not convinced that the urgencies or the doomsday predictions are factual.” [Charleston Gazette, 4/17/09]
Rep. David McKinley (R-WV-01): Many scientists have disavowed past climate change research, McKinley said, and he’s waiting for valid science to convince him there’s a problem and whether man is to blame. [Charleston Gazette, 10/20/10]
WISCONSIN
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI-01): In a December 2009 op-ed during international climate talks, Ryan made reference to the hacked University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit emails. He accused climatologists of a “perversion of the scientific method, where data were manipulated to support a predetermined conclusion,” in order to “intentionally mislead the public on the issue of climate change.” Because of spurious claims of conspiracy like these, several governmental and academic inquiries were launched, all of which found the accusations to be without merit. [Ryan Website, 12/11/09]
Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI-05): “I think that the science is inconclusive on this… I personally believe that the solar flares are more responsible for climatic cycles than anything that human beings do and our lunar, our rovers on Mars have indicated that there has been a slight warming in the atmosphere of Mars and that certainly was not caused by the internal combustion engine.” [Sensenbrenner Website]
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI): “I absolutely do not believe in the science of man-caused climate change,” Johnson said. “It’s not proven by any stretch of the imagination. It’s far more likely that it’s sunspot activity or just something in the geologic eons of time.” [Journal Sentinel]
WYOMING
Rep. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY-At Large): “We’re just beginning to explore what mankind’s role is in climate change, so I’d argue that the jury’s still out.” [WyoFile, 11/5/12]
Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY): When Barrasso was in college and medical school, he said, the “best science at the time said that the Ice Age is coming.” He referred to articles from Newsweek, the New York Times and Time magazine from 1974 and 1975 about the “global cooling” phenomenon. One of the articles said a major cooling of the climate is widely considered inevitable. “It’s fascinating to see the changes in the science,” Barrasso said. “Not that long ago, all the science was pointing in another direction. So all I’m saying is, how much of the wealth of this nation are we going to put at risk for something that may be poorly spent money?” [E&E Daily, 7/16/09]
Tiffany Germain is the Senior Climate/Energy Researcher for CAP Action War Room. Thanks to Ryan Koronowski and Jeff Spross for additional assistance.
FRONT