Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) today called on President Bush to address the problem of global warming. Her actions come as negotiators work to craft a document that will guide the upcoming G-8 summit in Scotland. Baldwin authored a letter insisting that the U.S. end its efforts to pressure those negotiators to alter important information in the document relating to global warming.

Earlier this week, the Washington Post highlighted several instances in which U.S. officials successfully deleted key portions of a report that depict the harmful effect rising temperatures are having on our planet. Thirty-eight House Members joined Baldwin in signing the letter, which also encourages the President to make curbing global warming a priority for his administration.

"While the Bush Administration continues to distort and disregard scientific data and information when it comes to climate change, it should not stop Congress from addressing this serious problem that current and future generations will undoubtedly be forced to confront," said Baldwin.

In June of 2003, Baldwin led a similar effort expressing concerns about climate change deletions made by administration officials to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) "Report on the Environment." Earlier this month, the New York Times confirmed that former senior White House official Phillip Cooney had indeed altered this report so as to suggest the uncertainties surrounding the science on global warming. Mr. Cooney has since taken a public relations position at ExxonMobil.

A copy of Baldwin's letter to the President follows:

June 23, 2005

President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Bush,

We are writing to express our concern about recent reports that Administration officials have insisted upon weakening language relating to the impact of global climate change in an international document that will be the basis of negotiations during the G-8 summit next month. We urge you to provide the necessary leadership to address the serious problem of global warming during these upcoming discussions.

As you know, the Washington Post recently obtained documents that indicate that U.S. negotiators deleted language in the international document, "Climate Change, Clean Energy, and Sustainable Development," that detailed how rising temperatures are affecting the Earth. Also deleted were provisions setting ambitious targets to cut carbon dioxide emissions, and setting stricter environmental standards for World Bank-funded power projects during the summit.

The Post highlights the deletion of a section that describes the problems resulting from global warming. Part of the document cited "increasingly compelling evidence of climate change, including rising ocean and atmospheric temperatures, retreating ice sheets and glaciers, rising sea levels, and changes to ecosystems." It went on to say, "Inertia in the climate system means that further warming is inevitable. Unless urgent action is taken, there will be a growing risk of adverse effects on economic development, human health and the natural environment, and of irreversible long-term changes to our climate and oceans." U.S. negotiators replaced this language with a sentence that reads, "Climate change is a serious long-term challenge that has the potential to affect every part of the globe."

We are deeply concerned that these and other changes and deletions will hinder efforts to confront climate change by the international community. Further, they seem to conform to a troubling pattern exhibited by your Administration that demonstrates a disregard for scientific evidence in the face of ideology.

You may remember that 36 House Members wrote to you on June 30, 2003 expressing concerns about similar climate change deletions made by Administration officials to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) "Report on the Environment." Earlier this month, the New York Times confirmed that former senior White House official, Phillip Cooney, had indeed altered this report so as to suggest the uncertainties surrounding the science on global warming. Mr. Cooney's decision to take a public relations position at ExxonMobil certainly has not boosted the confidence of the American people that your Administration is not distorting and suppressing scientific data for political purposes and that their health and communities will be protected in regard to climate change.

During a meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair on June 7, 2005, you stated that, "In terms of climate change, I've always said that it's a serious long-term issue that needs to be dealt with," but that "We want to know more about it." Global warming is a complex issue that has been debated by scientists for years, and we now understand enough about climate change to know that it is a problem that is growing worse with every passing day. We believe the time for action is now.

Business leaders like General Electric's Chairman, Jeffrey Immelt, electric utilities such as Cinergy, and even religious organizations such as the United States Conference of Bishops have acknowledged that the United States must do something about the growing consequences of global climate change. We urge you to direct U.S. negotiators to reverse course and make addressing global climate change the priority it should be. We also ask that you provide the leadership at the G-8 summit necessary to protect this and future generations against global warming.

Sincerely,