Carper, Schumer Lead All 47 Senate Democrats as Co-Sponsors Of New Resolution on Climate Change

EPW February 28, 2019

In letter to all Republican senators, Democrats urge colleagues to support resolution to acknowledge climate science

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), top Democrat on the Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW), and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), today led introduction of a new resolution, S.J. Res. 9, co-sponsored by all 47 members of the Senate Democratic Caucus stating that climate change is real, caused by humans, and that the United States and Congress need to take immediate action to address it. Carper and Schumer also sent a Dear Colleague letter to all 53 Republican Senators inviting them to join Democrats in supporting the resolution. The resolution is one of many steps Democrats are taking to go on offense on climate change and highlight how Senate Republicans are focused on holding cynical show-votes rather than doing anything to address this global crisis.

“In the days and weeks ahead, Senator McConnell intends to engage in a ploy to inflict damage on the Democratic Party and the entire climate change movement,” said Senator Carper. “To the American people, hear this: We cannot and will not allow cynicism to win. Not now, and not with so much at stake. Climate action should not be an issue that divides us. That’s why Democrats are united behind this resolution and in support of policies that reduce our nation’s carbon footprint, help create a fairer, stronger economy and support those most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.”

“Climate change is the most significant crisis facing humanity and Democrats are prepared to take bold action to address it but Republicans are standing in the way,” said Senator Schumer. “We are demanding that Leader McConnell and Republicans in the Senate take their heads out of the sand and answer three questions: do they believe climate change is real, is it caused by humans and do they believe the Congress and United States need to take immediate action to address it? This resolution is simply going to be just one of many examples of Democrats on offense and united on the seriousness of and the need to take urgent action on climate change while Republicans are focused on cynical show votes.”

Text of the resolution is below, and available in PDF HERE.

Text of the Dear Colleague letter is below, and available in PDF HERE.

JOINT RESOLUTION

Calling on the United States and Congress to take immediate action to address the challenge of climate change.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

That it is the sense of Congress that—

(1) climate change is real;

(2) human activity during the last century is the dominant cause of the climate crisis; and

(3) the United States and Congress should take immediate action to address the challenge of climate change.

–—

Dear Colleague:

We write to invite you to join us in cosponsoring a resolution on climate change that Senate Democrats introduced this week (S.J. Res. 9).

Just three months ago, thirteen federal agencies released a comprehensive climate report that described the dire economic and health consequences we face if we do not take meaningful action to address climate change.

This report, the Fourth National Climate Assessment, was developed over a three-year period by more than 300 federal experts and non-federal experts who volunteered their time and expertise. The report found, among other things:

• From our warming oceans to our atmosphere, climate change is happening, and human activities are greatly contributing to the problem;
• There is a direct link between climate change and extreme weather events, which in 2017 cost the American economy more than $300 billion—more than any year prior;
• By 2050, wildfire seasons could burn up to six times more forest area every year;
• Rising temperatures, combined with increasingly frequent and severe rain, mean that farmers are likely to experience a reduction in corn and soybean yields by up to 25 percent by the end of the century; and,

If we do not act on climate change, we will see economic pain across every major sector of our country.  The report concludes that at the end of the century, climate change could slash our gross domestic product (GDP) by 10 percent. That is more than double the losses of the Great Recession a decade ago.

Large majorities of the American people believe climate change is a serious problem and want their leaders to take action.  Senate Democrats stand ready to do just that..  Doing so, however, means agreeing on some basic things contained in S.J. Res. XXX. The resolution is simple, it states that it is the sense of Congress that—

(1) climate change is real;

(2) human activity during the last century is the dominant cause of the climate crisis; and

(3) the United States and Congress should take immediate action to address the challenge of climate change.

The scientific consensus about climate change should no longer be an open question in the Republican-controlled Senate. We hope you’ll join with us in this resolution that seeks to put the Senate on the record.