[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 167 (Thursday, October 26, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2053]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         THE SKY IS NOT FALLING

                                 ______


                             HON. TOM DeLAY

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 26, 1995

  Mr. DeLAY. Mr. Speaker, as many scientists have long suspected, and 
despite the public scare campaign by environmental extremists, the 
reports of destructive global warming have been greatly exaggerated.
  Paul Harvey, the sage of the airwaves, put it well when he commented 
on October 17, 1995, that the sky is not falling.
  I wish to submit for the Record Mr. Harvey's remarks regarding the 
scare campaign on global warming.
  The remarks follow:

                         The Sky Is Not Falling

       Many scholars and institutions secure grant money for 
     research by scaring people.
       By producing bad news about population, about resources, 
     about environment.
       One recent-years bogey has been the claim by some academics 
     that ``the sky is falling.''
       Specifically, these scaremongers argue that our use of 
     fossil fuels is figuratively burning a hole in the sky, 
     letting in too much sun, threatening global warming.
       This year's Nobel Prize was awarded to three disciples of 
     that theory--that chemical actions are breaking down 
     atmospheric ozone.
       Robert Balling, Junior, is director of the Office of 
     Climatology at Arizona State University.
       He says those pedding this pessimistic prognosis are false-
     alarmists.
       And, he notes, the New York Times is parroting this 
     apocalyptic view of the future, giving its front page to the 
     theory of planetary temperature increases over the past 40 
     years, retreating glaciers, increasing sea levels and the 
     increase in both drought and heavy rain.
       In rebuttal this climatologist responds with satellite 
     measurements. Rather than ``global warming,'' this most 
     accurate of all ways of measuring the Earth's temperature 
     shows a slight ``global cooling'' since 1979.
       The Arctic area, where most warming should be expected, has 
     warmed not at all over the past sixteen years according to 
     our satellite observations. According to the measurement of 
     standard weather stations there has been no measurable 
     warming over the past 50 years.
       And, says, this climatologist, while some glaciers have 
     retreated--others have advanced--including large ice sheets 
     in Antarctica and Greenland.
       Organizations within the United Nations, anticipating the 
     inevitability of budget cuts, are desperately seeking to 
     justify their existence.
       The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate 
     Change (PCC) is composed of 2,500 scientists around the 
     world.
       Its recent book-length report, clearly labeled, ``FOR 
     INTERNAL USE ONLY. DO NOT DISTRIBUTE'' * * * was nonetheless 
     distributed.
       It was intended to be circulated among contributors for 
     their further evaluation and further contributions.
       Instead it was ``leaked'' to media people who focused on 
     the summary section and sounded an alarm which has 
     embarrassed many of the scientists who contributed to the 
     study.
       There is just enough ``Chicken Little'' in all of us so 
     that the tabloids with the most gross headlines are the ones 
     which sell best.
       I promise, before the sky falls, to let you know.

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