[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 38 (Monday, March 4, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S1610]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                             Climate Change

  Mr. President, for decades, we have known that climate change is not 
only a major national challenge but an existential threat to our planet 
and to our future.
  Despite the gravity and scale of this challenge, one political party 
in the United States--the Republican Party--has largely denied the 
problem even exists, denied the overwhelming consensus of the 
scientific community, and denied most attempts in Congress to tackle 
climate change.
  Today marks day 18 since I first challenged our Republican leader and 
all of my Republican colleagues to answer these three questions: One, 
is climate change real? Two, is it caused by human activity? And, 
three, should Congress act immediately, strongly, to deal with this 
issue?
  We haven't heard an answer from the leader or from almost every 
Republican in this body. So let me repeat them again.
  Leader McConnell, do you believe that climate change is real? Leader 
McConnell, do you believe that it is caused by human activity? Leader 
McConnell, do you believe that Congress should take immediate action to 
address the crisis of climate change?
  I suppose it is not a surprise that Republicans are fearful to answer 
these questions. They know the public is on our side on this issue, 
overwhelmingly two to one. But the oil industry, which funnels tons of 
money into Republican coffers, much of it dark money, undisclosed--they 
are on the other side. That is why they are afraid to answer the 
question one way or the other.
  Today's Washington Post details how the denial of basic scientific 
facts surrounding climate change is amounting to a political litmus 
test for President Trump. Perhaps Republicans are avoiding answering 
questions I have posed for fear that the President would retaliate for 
siding against him and his radical views. There is no real, rational 
explanation.