[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 56 (Wednesday, April 13, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S2049]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3756. Mr. WHITEHOUSE submitted an amendment intended to be 
proposed to amendment SA 3679 proposed by Mr. McConnell (for Mr. Thune 
(for himself and Mr. Nelson)) to the bill H.R. 636, to amend the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permanently extend increased expensing 
limitations, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the 
table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. ___. SENSE OF CONGRESS THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
       (1) There is scientific consensus based on sound scientific 
     evidence that climate change is occurring due to increases in 
     carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere 
     and that human activity has caused a significant increase in 
     the amount of these greenhouse gases.
       (2) Scientific measurement shows that the concentration of 
     carbon dioxide in the atmosphere ranged from 170 to 300 parts 
     per 1,000,000 for at least 800,000 years, which is 4 times as 
     long as the species Homo sapiens has existed, but, in 
     measurements taken at the Mauna Loa Observatory in each of 
     the 2 years preceding the date of enactment of this Act, 
     exceeded 400 parts per 1,000,000.
       (3) Transportation emissions accounted for approximately 28 
     percent of total carbon dioxide emissions in the United 
     States in 2012, with emissions from the aviation sector 
     representing about 12 percent of transportation emissions in 
     the United States.
       (4) Commercial-only aviation emissions in the United States 
     are projected to grow by almost 25 percent by 2030.
       (5) Climate change diminishes the efficiency of fixed-wing 
     and rotary-wing aircraft by increasing the likelihood of 
     takeoff weight restrictions due to warmer ground level air 
     reducing the lift force on the wings.
       (6) Climate change increases the likelihood of clear-air 
     turbulence, which already injures hundreds of passengers and 
     causes structural damage to aircraft.
       (7) The 2015 primer of the Federal Aviation Administration 
     entitled ``Aviation Emissions, Impacts & Mitigation'' 
     acknowledges that ``emissions associated with commercial 
     aviation . . . degrade not only air quality but also the 
     broader climate,'' and will hurt the health and welfare of 
     society.
       (8) The scientific consensus about climate change and the 
     findings from the Federal Aviation Administration support the 
     conclusions that--
       (A) climate change poses a challenge to the growing 
     national aviation industry of the United States; and
       (B) aviation activities have a measurable effect on 
     climate.
       (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) climate change is real and human activity is 
     significantly contributing to climate change;
       (2) the scientific consensus on climate change and the 
     findings of the national aviation community that climate 
     change poses real challenges to the growing aviation industry 
     of the United States are not products of a hoax or deception 
     perpetrated on the people of the United States; and
       (3) reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to the 
     effects of climate change is in the national interest of the 
     United States.
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