SEEC Welcomes Weather and Climate Scientists on their 250-Mile March to Congress
Washington, D.C. – Today, members of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) and House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Ranking Member Rep. Zoe Lofgren welcomed scientists who are fighting to protect U.S. climate and weather research from devastating federal funding cuts. As a part of the 12-day, 250-mile march from New York to Washington, D.C., the climate and weather scientists met with universities, research institutions, and community centers along the way to highlight how funding cuts, disinformation, mass firings, and grant terminations have impacted the health and well-being of our families and U.S. scientific leadership on the international stage.
“Thank you to the scientists who have walked 250 miles from New York to be here today in our nation’s capital to advocate for the importance of U.S. scientific leadership. Our country does not run without scientists like you. Scientists push the boundaries of what is known,” said SEEC Co-Chair Congressman Paul Tonko (NY-20). “As an engineer, I will always fight for science. I am a proud champion of the Scientific Integrity Act which would provide much needed protections for our federal scientists, help restore public trust, and ensure the United States retains its leadership in research and innovation. I will always fight with you to uphold the independence, integrity, and funding of American science. This is still a democracy, and we will not let them silence us!”
“The climate crisis is one of the greatest challenges of our time, and it requires sustained attention from scientists, policymakers, industry partners, educators, voters—all of us,” said SEEC Vice Chair Congressman Don Beyer (VA-08). “In my office, we’re doing our best to support climate science by requesting full funding for scientific agencies, including the National Science Foundation (NSF), which has its headquarters in my District, and leading the defense of scientists who were thoughtlessly fired – from those at NSF to the meteorologists we desperately need at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It is an honor to receive this letter, and I will keep it with me as we continue the slow but deliberate work to protect our planet.”
“Scientific integrity and research will not be erased by political convenience,” said SEEC Vice Chair Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01). “The people here today are defending facts at a time when we are flooded with fiction. And this administration needs to see that you are here to elevate the truth.”
“The scientists who walked 250 miles and the letters you are delivering today represent something powerful: a community that refuses to be silent,” said SEEC Lands, Waters, and Nature Task Force Co-Chair Congresswoman Maxine Dexter (OR-03). “The climate crisis is real. The science is real. The people who have dedicated their lives to protecting us deserve a government that has their backs. We will fight to restore this funding, protect this research, and ensure the United States remains the world leader in climate and weather science — not because it is politically convenient, but because lives depend on it.”
"Funding cuts to NASA, NOAA, the National Institutes of Health, and the National Science Foundation have kneecapped the world-class research ecosystem that made America great in the 20th Century," said SEEC Member Congressman Scott Peters (CA-50). "I've heard directly from San Diegans who are students and researchers that cuts by this Administration have devastated their work, put American health and well-being at risk, and undermined our ability to compete with other nations. We need to invest in science, not undercut it."
“I was a TV meteorologist for over two decades—but I quit the only job I ever wanted as a kid because we need scientists speaking truth to power in Washington. I am so proud to stand with the scientists who are using their expertise to push for more funding for weather forecasting and climate research,” said SEEC Member Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17). "Climate change isn’t a red or blue issue—it impacts all of us. I will continue to be on the frontlines of passing legislation that protects my neighbors from the impacts of extreme weather, from making sure that NOAA is properly staffed to establishing a National Weather Safety Board to investigate and recommend solutions after deadly weather disasters.”
"Climate and weather monitoring programs supported by the federal government keep Americans safe. They allow us to plan for the future,” said Ranking Member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (CA-18). “They strengthen our understanding of how our climate is changing and help us build solutions to the climate crisis. Trump’s attack on weather and climate science and research in this country is cruel and dangerous. It’s shortsighted, and frankly, it’s stupid."