[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 45 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. CON. RES. 45

Expressing the sense of Congress relating to the disapproval of certain 
 activities of certain companies, trade associations, foundations, and 
                             organizations.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 11, 2016

 Mr. Whitehouse (for himself, Mr. Markey, Mr. Schatz, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. 
   Merkley, Ms. Warren, Mr. Sanders, and Mr. Franken) submitted the 
following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                 Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of Congress relating to the disapproval of certain 
 activities of certain companies, trade associations, foundations, and 
                             organizations.

Whereas in the case of tobacco companies and allied organizations--

    (1) according to peer-reviewed scientific research and Federal court 
findings, tobacco companies knew about the harmful health effects of their 
products; and

    (2) contrary to the scientific findings of the tobacco companies and of 
others about the danger tobacco poses to human health, tobacco companies, 
directly and through their trade associations, and foundations--

    G    (A) developed a sophisticated and deceitful campaign that funded 
think tanks and front groups, and paid public relations firms to deny, 
counter, and obfuscate peer-reviewed science; and

    G    (B) used that misinformation campaign to mislead the public and 
cast doubt in order to protect their financial interest;

Whereas in the case of lead-related manufacturers and allied organizations--

    (1) according to peer-reviewed scientific research and State court 
findings, the paint industry, gasoline manufacturers, and lead producers 
knew about the harmful health effects of lead in paint and other products 
throughout the 20th century; and

    (2) contrary to the scientific findings of the paint industry, gasoline 
manufacturers, lead producers, and others about the danger lead poses to 
human health, those companies, directly and through their trade 
associations, and foundations--

    G    (A) developed a sophisticated and deceitful campaign that funded 
think tanks and front groups, and paid public relations firms to deny, 
counter, and obfuscate peer-reviewed research; and

    G    (B) used that misinformation campaign to mislead the public and 
cast doubt in order to protect their financial interest; and

Whereas in the case of fossil fuel companies and allied organizations--

    (1) according to peer-reviewed scientific research and investigative 
reporting, fossil fuel companies have long known about climate change and 
the harmful climate effects of their products; and

    (2) contrary to the scientific findings of the fossil fuel companies 
and of others about the danger fossil fuels pose to the climate, fossil 
fuel companies, directly and through their trade associations, and 
foundations--

    G    (A) developed a sophisticated and deceitful campaign that funded 
think tanks and front groups, and paid public relations firms to deny, 
counter, and obfuscate peer-reviewed research; and

    G    (B) used that misinformation campaign to mislead the public and 
cast doubt in order to protect their financial interest: Now, therefore, be 
it

    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) disapproves of activities by certain corporations, 
        trade associations, foundations, and organizations funded by 
        those corporations--
                    (A) to deliberately mislead the public and 
                undermine peer-reviewed scientific research about the 
                dangers of their products; and
                    (B) to deliberately cast doubt on science in order 
                to protect their financial interests; and
            (2) urges fossil fuel companies and allied organizations to 
        cooperate with active or future investigations into--
                    (A) their climate-change related activities;
                    (B) what they knew about climate change and when 
                they knew that information;
                    (C) what they knew about the harmful effects of 
                fossil fuels on the climate; and
                    (D) any activities to mislead the public about 
                climate change.
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