[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7075 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7075

To prohibit the President from deploying any strategic weapon, such as 
a nuclear bomb, for purposes of altering weather patterns or addressing 
                climate change, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 1, 2020

 Ms. Garcia of Texas introduced the following bill; which was referred 
 to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees 
   on Energy and Commerce, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a 
 period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To prohibit the President from deploying any strategic weapon, such as 
a nuclear bomb, for purposes of altering weather patterns or addressing 
                climate change, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Climate Change and Hurricane 
Correlation and Strategy Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) According to reports dated August 24, 2019, President 
        Trump suggested the use of nuclear weapons to disrupt hurricane 
        paths. Specifically, the President stated, ``I got it. I got 
        it. Why don't we nuke them? They start forming off the coast of 
        Africa, as they're moving across the Atlantic, we drop a bomb 
        inside the eye of the hurricane and it disrupts it. Why can't 
        we do that?''.
            (2) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
        (NOAA), the United States Government agency that monitors and 
        researches weather patterns and changes, stated ``During each 
        hurricane season, there always appear suggestions that one 
        should simply use nuclear weapons to try and destroy the 
        storms. Apart from the fact that this might not even alter the 
        storm, this approach neglects the problem that the released 
        radioactive fallout would fairly quickly move with the 
        tradewinds to affect land areas and cause devastating 
        environmental problems. Needless to say, this is not a good 
        idea.''.
            (3) Nuclear weapons are the most powerful weapons known to 
        mankind. A nuclear blast radius carries exponentially damaging 
        radioactive fallout, as demonstrated by atmospheric tests 
        conducted by the United States in the 1950s and 1960s in the 
        Pacific and Nevada Test Range.
            (4) According to the Director of National Intelligence and 
        Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, climate change remains a 
        critical national security threat.
            (5) Researchers found that if little is done to constrain 
        greenhouse gas emissions, and the world warms by 3\o\C to 4\o\C 
        this century, then hurricane rainfall could increase by a 
        third, while wind speeds would be boosted by as much as 25 
        knots.
            (6) Stronger hurricanes are intensifying more rapidly than 
        they were 30 years ago due to climate change, according to 
        recent research.
            (7) Increasing numbers of hurricanes are a function of 
        climate change and must be addressed through serious and long-
        term solutions that include scientific research and 
        technological innovation.
            (8) There is cause for concern to public health, safety, 
        and national security by the dangerous misuse of nuclear bombs 
        to alter serious weather patterns.

SEC. 3. PROHIBITION.

    The Federal Government (including the President and any Federal 
official, department, and agency) shall not deploy a strategic weapon, 
such as a nuclear bomb, for purposes of altering weather patterns or 
addressing climate change.

SEC. 4. SCIENTIFIC REPORT AND STRATEGIC PLAN TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE 
              AND HURRICANES.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 5 years, the 
President, in coordination with the Administrators of the Environmental 
Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, shall issue a report to Congress on ways to combat 
increasing hurricane activity due to warming oceans from climate 
change.
    (b) Contents.--Each report submitted under subsection (a) shall--
            (1) specify the number, names, and dates of the hurricanes 
        over the past 30 years;
            (2) with respect to such hurricanes, include scientific 
        evidence and research regarding--
                    (A) fatalities and injuries;
                    (B) local, State, and Federal costs per hurricane; 
                and
                    (C) frequency of occurrence and changes in 
                magnitude and intensity patterns;
            (3) additional analysis of observations and changes to 
        human activity that cause climate change and weather intensity; 
        and
            (4) the strategic plan addendum required by subsection (d).
    (c) Effect of Nuclear Weapons.--The first report submitted under 
subsection (a) shall include a one-time scientific explanation and 
analysis on the use of nuclear bombs to alter severe weather, such as 
hurricanes, including--
            (1) the radioactive fallout;
            (2) the potential public health and environmental risks; 
        and
            (3) observations as to how such use would or would not 
        address the systemic issues and challenges of hurricanes.
    (d) Strategic Plan.--Each report submitted under subsection (a) 
shall include a strategic plan addendum including--
            (1) 10-, 20-, and 30-year goals for--
                    (A) reducing greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, 
                and harmful human activity; and
                    (B) addressing causes of climate change and weather 
                intensity; and
            (2) recommendations to the Congress on policy changes 
        needed to combat hurricane and climate change activity.
    (e) Consultation.--In preparing the report required by subsection 
(a), the Administrators of the Environmental Protection Agency and 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall consult with 
relevant public and private sector scientific experts.
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