SEEC Member Blumenauer Organizes Effort on House Floor to Underscore Importance of Funding Climate Research

Washington, D.C. – Today, as the U.S. House of Representative considers H.R. 2578, Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Act, Representative Earl Blumenauer (OR-03) organized an effort on the House floor to highlight the importance of funding climate research. Representative Blumenauer, Representative Jared Polis (CO-02) and other members of the House Sustainable Energy & Environment Coalition (SEEC) offered two amendments underscoring the importance of climate research within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The funding levels in the bill under consideration today fall far below what is required to adequately address the serious reality of climate change and its effects on future generations.

“Years of research and thousands of scientists across the world have concluded – the climate is changing. This means more heatwaves, drought, wildfires, super storms, flooding and other extreme weather events are ahead,” said Rep. Blumenauer (OR-03). “We should not cut funding to research that can help us understand what is happening in the atmosphere, the effects these changes are having on our communities, and how we can prepare and mitigate the negative impacts. While no one is under the illusion that the Majority would allow an amendment increasing funding for climate change to pass, those of us offering this amendment believe we have an obligation to hold Congress accountable when it falls short on an issue this important.”

“It’s no secret that our climate is changing – look no further than Colorado’s devastating floods of 2013,” said SEEC Vice-Chair Rep. Jared Polis (CO-02). NOAA and its partner institutions, like the University of Colorado and Colorado State University, are working to keep pace with Mother Nature by providing raw data to keep first responders, weather forecasters, businesses, communities, and families on the cutting edge of weather predictability and disaster mitigation. We must ensure they have the resources to do their critical work.”

“Climate change is not a distant threat that we can wish away,” said SEEC Co-Chair Rep. Gerry Connolly (VA-11). “Our communities and local governments are already forced to respond to the effects of climate change today, and the federal government must be their partner. Cuts should be restored to reverse misbegotten efforts to disinvest in climate change research and mitigation efforts, and provide NOAA the adequate funding to continue their lifesaving research.”

“NOAA’s work on climate research, mitigation, and preparedness are vital to our efforts at safeguarding lives, property, and the infrastructure that supports our economy,” SEEC Co-Chair Rep. Paul Tonko (NY-20) said. “Communities across the country experience a new ‘Storm of the Century’ almost every year and the costs of these storms in lives and property continue to rise. Republican House leadership has relentlessly voted to cut support for climate action. We cannot afford to continue to ignore this problem. Quite simply, NOAA saves lives and we should be working together to enhance its operations, not suffocate its progress.”

“It is no secret that the climate is changing and severe storms and weather events are becoming more frequent and costly,” said SEEC Vice-Chair Rep. Steve Israel (NY-03). “Instead of divesting in critical climate research, we should make investments to prepare our coastal communities and keep American families safe.”

“At the exact moment when we should be increasing NOAA research funding, we are instead cutting funds. It is the fiscal equivalent of climate change denial. California and the Western United States are going through a historic drought. We are ripping up lawns, we are rationing water, and we are not growing crops,” said SEEC Vice-ChairRep. Alan Lowenthal (CA-47). “We should be increasing funding for research to develop more reliable drought forecasts and projections, not perpetuating a fiscal drought on the realities of science. This is wrong. This is irresponsible. This doesn't not make any sense.”

“There is nothing hypothetical about climate change. We are seeing it every day and paying the price of rising ocean temperatures, more severe storms and devastating droughts,” said SEEC Vice-Chair Chellie Pingree (ME-01). “The truth is we have underfunded this kind of research for too long and we just can’t afford to pretend this isn’t a huge problem for our economy and our environment. It’s hard to imagine a worse time to cut funding for such important research.”

“Congress is putting families, homes, and communities across America and around the world at risk with its reckless and irresponsible funding cuts to NOAA. Climate change is the existential crisis of our generation; we must not undermine the leading research organization addressing this challenge,” said Rep. Don Beyer (VA-08).

“Climate change is real, and now is not the time to undercut NOAA’s critical research activities,” said Rep. Boyle (PA-13). “This science is essential to guiding our planning and investment decisions at the national, state, and local level. The Republicans’ emphasis on weather forecasting rather than climate science is incredibly shortsighted. Moreover, as climate deniers continue to claim a need for research and consensus on the matter, in the same breath they are slashing those very research dollars. These cuts are irresponsible and, frankly, offensive to the American public.”

“Cutting research on climate change will not stop it from happening – it will only leave communities across the country less prepared for its damaging impacts,” said Rep. Van Hollen (MD-08). “Congress must address the issue of climate change to prevent harmful effects and improve resiliency in threatened areas. And we need to fund the research necessary to monitor changing weather patterns, improve long-term forecasting, and protect the health of Maryland’s residents and abundant natural resources.”

“LCV commends Congressman Blumenauer for his latest effort to highlight the critical need to address dangerous climate change,” said Alex Taurel, Deputy Legislative Director,League of Conservation Voters. “Climate change is the greatest challenge of our generation, and we should be doubling down on investments to ensure we tackle this crisis before it is too late. Unfortunately, the House Republican Leadership is once again sticking their heads in the sand by cutting funding for critical climate research.”

“The public has unmet demands for information on how our climate is changing, where and how that puts us at risk, and what it will cost us at the state and local level to respond,” Erika Spanger-Siegfried, Senior Climate Analyst, Union of Concerned Scientists said. “How high should we build flood walls as the seas rise? How big does a new drainage pipe need to be as precipitation falls in heavier doses? We need federal science to make informed planning and investment decisions to protect communities and businesses from climate impacts.”

Representative Blumenauer withdrew his amendment without forcing a vote to increase funding for climate research because the underlying bill so severely underfunds the high priority programs, there is no room to change the appropriated levels without doing further harm.