[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 40 (Wednesday, March 6, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1710-S1712]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 97--ESTABLISHING THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE CLIMATE 
                                 CRISIS

  Mr. SCHUMER submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Rules and Administration:

                               S. Res. 97

       Resolved,

     SECTION 1. SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE CLIMATE CRISIS.

       (a) Establishment.--There is established in the Senate a 
     Select Committee on the Climate Crisis (in this resolution 
     referred to as the ``Select Committee'').
       (b) Composition.--
       (1) Membership.--The Select Committee shall be composed of 
     16 Senators, of whom--
       (A) 8 shall be appointed by the Majority Leader; and
       (B) 8 shall be appointed by the Minority Leader.
       (2) Co-chairpersons.--The Majority Leader and the Minority 
     Leader shall each designate 1 member of the Select Committee 
     to serve as a Co-Chairperson of the Select Committee.
       (3) Deadline.--Not later than 14 days after the date of 
     adoption of this resolution, the Majority Leader and Minority 
     Leader shall each appoint all members and designate the Co-
     Chairpersons of the Select Committee.
       (4) Period of appointment.--Members shall be appointed for 
     the life of the Select Committee.
       (5) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the membership of the Select 
     Committee--
       (A) shall not affect its powers; and
       (B) shall be filled not later than 14 days after the date 
     on which the vacancy occurs, in the same manner as the 
     original appointment was made.
       (6) Departure of member.--If a member of the Select 
     Committee ceases to be a Member of the Senate, the member is 
     no longer a member of the Select Committee and a vacancy 
     shall exist.
       (c) Funding.--
       (1) In general.--The expenses of the Select Committee shall 
     be paid from the Contingent Fund of the Senate, in a total 
     amount of--
       (A) not more than $1,500,000 for the period beginning on 
     the date of adoption of this resolution and ending on 
     September 30, 2019; and
       (B) not more than $2,600,000 for the period beginning on 
     October 1, 2019 and ending on September 30, 2020.
       (2) Approval.--
       (A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B), 
     the expenses of the Select Committee shall be paid upon 
     vouchers approved by the Co-Chairpersons of the Select 
     Committee, in accordance with the rules and regulations of 
     the Senate.
       (B) Vouchers not required.--Vouchers shall not be required 
     for--
       (i) the disbursement of salaries of employees paid at an 
     annual rate;
       (ii) the payment of telecommunications provided by the 
     Office of the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper;

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       (iii) the payment of stationery supplies purchased through 
     the Keeper of the Stationery;
       (iv) payments to the Postmaster of the Senate;
       (v) the payment of metered charges on copying equipment 
     provided by the Office of the Sergeant at Arms and 
     Doorkeeper;
       (vi) the payment of Senate Recording and Photographic 
     Services; or
       (vii) the payment of franked and mass mail costs by the 
     Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper.
       (d) Staffing.--
       (1) In general.--The Co-Chairpersons of the Select 
     Committee may jointly appoint and fix the compensation of 
     employees of the Select Committee in accordance with the 
     guidelines for employees of the Senate and following all 
     applicable rules and employment requirements of the Senate 
     (including those relating to employees of standing committees 
     of the Senate).
       (2) Agency contributions.--There are authorized to be paid 
     from the appropriations account for ``Inquiries and 
     Investigations'' of the Senate such sums as may be necessary 
     for agency contributions related to the compensation of 
     employees of the Select Committee.
       (e) Jurisdiction; Functions.--
       (1) Investigative jurisdiction.--The Select Committee shall 
     have the authority to investigate and make findings regarding 
     how inaction on the climate crisis is harming the economic 
     and national security interests of the United States.
       (2) Meetings.--
       (A) In general.--The Select Committee shall--
       (i) meet at the call of the Co-Chairpersons; and
       (ii) hold its first meeting to plan the activities of the 
     Select Committee not later than 30 days after the date of 
     adoption of this resolution.
       (B) Agenda.--Not later than 48 hours before any meeting of 
     the Select Committee, the Co-Chairpersons shall provide an 
     agenda to the members of the Select Committee.
       (3) Hearings.--
       (A) In general.--The Select Committee may, for the purpose 
     of carrying out this section, hold such hearings, sit and act 
     at such times and places, require attendance of witnesses and 
     production of books, papers, and documents, take such 
     testimony, receive such evidence, and administer such oaths 
     as the Select Committee considers advisable.
       (B) All hearings public.--The hearings of the Select 
     Committee in connection with any aspect of its investigative 
     functions shall be public hearings.
       (C) Hearing procedures and responsibilities of co-
     chairpersons.--
       (i) Announcement.--Not later than 7 days before any hearing 
     of the Select Committee, the Co-Chairpersons shall make a 
     public announcement of the date, place, time, and subject 
     matter of the hearing, unless the Co-Chairpersons determine 
     that there is good cause to hold the hearing at an earlier 
     date.
       (ii) Equal representation of witnesses.--Each Co-
     Chairperson shall be entitled to select an equal number of 
     witnesses for each hearing held by the Select Committee.
       (iii) Written statement.--A witness appearing before the 
     Select Committee shall file a written statement of proposed 
     testimony at least 2 days before the appearance of the 
     witness, unless the requirement is waived by the Co-
     Chairpersons, following a joint determination that there is 
     good cause for failure to comply with the requirement.
       (4) Minimum number of public meetings and hearings.--The 
     Select Committee shall hold not less than a total of 5 public 
     meetings or public hearings.
       (5) Technical assistance.--Upon written request of the Co-
     Chairpersons, a Federal agency, including an agency in the 
     legislative branch, shall provide technical assistance to the 
     Select Committee in order for the Select Committee to carry 
     out its duties.
       (6) Coordination with standing committees of the senate.--
     The Select Committee shall, in conducting official business, 
     coordinate with standing committees with relevant 
     jurisdiction.
       (7) No legislative jurisdiction.--The Select Committee 
     shall not have legislative jurisdiction and shall have no 
     authority to take legislative action on any bill or 
     resolution.
       (f) Reporting.--
       (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), not later than 
     July 31, 2020, the Select Committee shall submit to the 
     Senate and any relevant committee of the Senate a 
     comprehensive report of the results of its investigations and 
     studies, together with such detailed findings as it may 
     determine advisable.
       (2) Separate reports.--If the Select Committee is not able 
     to agree to a report described in paragraph (1) by a majority 
     vote, each Co-Chairperson may submit to the Senate and any 
     relevant committee of the Senate a report on behalf of the 
     members of the Select Committee appointed by the Senate 
     leader that appointed such Co-Chairperson regarding the 
     results of the investigations and studies of the Select 
     Committee.
       (3) Publication.--Not later than 30 days after the date on 
     which a report under this subsection is submitted, the Select 
     Committee shall make the report publicly available in widely 
     accessible formats.
       (g) Termination.--The Select Committee shall terminate on 
     October 1, 2020.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, maybe Leader McConnell doesn't realize 
this, but because of the political stunt vote he is planning on his 
version of the Green New Deal, for the first time in a long time, the 
Senate is finally debating the issue of climate change, and if you ask 
me, it is about time.
  Climate change is an urgent crisis and an existential threat to our 
country and to our planet. The last 4 years have been the warmest 4 
years on record. Sea levels are rising. Marine life and fishing 
communities are being destroyed. Wildfires have roared against the 
West. More powerful hurricanes have buffeted our coastlines.
  Over the next few decades, climate change will affect every part of 
American life--our health, our economy, our national security, and even 
our geography. So if there were ever an issue that demanded particular 
focus from this Chamber, it is climate change. That is why today I am 
introducing a resolution to create a select committee on climate change 
to correspond with the House committee that was created this year for 
the same purpose.
  For the same reason that we dedicate groups of Senators to focus on 
health, national security, judiciary, agriculture, and banking, we 
should have a bipartisan group of Senators who meet to focus on climate 
change, to hold hearings, to debate the issue, and to craft, refine, 
and enact legislation to address this problem.
  I understand that my friends on the other side of the aisle don't 
like the Green New Deal. OK, that is fine. What is your plan?
  Maybe a lot of Members think they can get away without having to 
answer the question. They will not. They will not. That is why we need 
a committee focused on this to bring Democrats and Republicans together 
on an issue that demands progress. So I will introduce a resolution to 
create a new committee on climate.
  Democrats believe this is an issue of surpassing importance. What do 
our Republican colleagues believe? We sincerely hope that our 
Republican friends will come around and view it the same way. Yet we 
are still trying to get the Republican leadership, and Republicans in 
the Senate in general, to answer three key questions. I ask once again. 
I have asked them every day.
  One, Leader McConnell, do you believe climate change is real?
  Two, Leader McConnell, does human activity contribute to it?
  And, three, should Congress take immediate action to address it?
  Our Republican friends are silent--silent. Some have argued that it 
is because they get so much money from the oil industry. Some have 
argued that it is because they don't believe in science. It is amazing 
that they can't even answer a simple question that is one of the 
leading questions of our time when two-thirds of all Americans believe 
that climate change is real and urgent.
  We are not trying to lock our Republican friends into any one or two 
solutions. We are not saying: Let's do it our way or the highway.
  As a first step, we want Republicans, particularly their leader, to 
agree with us that climate change is a problem that must be addressed. 
And what do we get from our Republican friends? Either silence or a 
stunt--putting on the floor a bill they will not vote for. That doesn't 
say anything. That doesn't address the problem. It is a stunt. That is 
all they can do. They can't come forward with a single positive thing 
to say or do. So they put a bill on the floor that they will not vote 
for--what a ruse. What a mocking of the way the Founding Fathers wanted 
democracy to work--it is a disgrace.
  That is why we need a committee. At least let them go forward with a 
committee, where Democrats and Republicans can discuss the issue, 
debate the issue, and perhaps come up with some bipartisan solutions. 
That is what we hope to achieve when we come to the floor and ask our 
friends, sincerely, if they agree with those three items, because 
climate change will not wait for the partisanship, which so often 
defines this Chamber, to ebb. It will not pause while one party is in 
power. Its impacts will not discriminate between red States and blue 
States.
  It is time to put our party affiliations aside and agree that we face 
a major crisis that is caused by humans and that we have an immediate 
and glaring need to address it.

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