[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 18]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 24863-24864]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   DEMOCRATS' CLIMATE PUSH MAY SQUEEZE GOP MODERATES ON SCIENCE PANEL

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, November 3, 2005

  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit this article from 
InsideEPA to the Congressional Record.
  A novel effort by 150 House Democrats to require that the White House 
turn over documents showing what it knows about climate change effects 
on U.S. coastal regions may force key Republican moderates to choose 
party loyalty over their environmental records, or risk leaving 
themselves open to attacks from conservative opponents in upcoming 
primaries, sources say.
  Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) has initiated a rare House procedure with 
the backing of 150 of his Democratic colleagues that seeks information 
from the executive branch on how climate change has affected U.S. 
coastal regions. If H.R. 515, a ``resolution of inquiry,'' (ROI) passes 
with the support of key GOP moderates on the House Science Committee 
and the full House, it would require the president within 14 days to 
turn over documents related to climate change impacts on coastal areas. 
Relevant documents are available on InsideEPA.com.
  Kucinich's resolution does not specifically mention hurricanes, but 
congressional staffers familiar with the effort say Congress is growing 
more concerned that climate change may have increased hurricane 
severity in light of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. ``This has been a 
brutal hurricane season and many think climate change will be the 
defining problem of our generation. We want to know what [President 
Bush] knew,'' according to one staffer. The effort comes as Republican 
environment committee senators are quashing suggestions that increased 
sea surface temperatures could be linked to the recent spike in 
hurricane activity.
  Observers say the ROI will present House Science Committee Chairman 
Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY), Rep. Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) and Rep. Wayne 
Gilchrest (R-MD) with a critical choice between siding with their party 
in deflecting attention from the president's climate policies and their 
environmental records, which have won them praise and endorsements from 
environmental groups. Their decisions on the matter may prove crucial 
during their 2006 primaries, where at least one is expected to face a 
tough fight against a more conservative GOP candidate.
  Although the ROI measure has no Republican co-sponsors, Boehlert has 
a track record of backing efforts to address climate change that is 
adding to Democrats' optimism that the measure may make it to the House 
floor for a vote, sources say. ``Boehlert's support [for previous 
efforts to allow more open scientific debate on climate change] makes 
us hopeful,'' according to one source.
  For instance, Boehlert last summer sharply criticized efforts by 
House Energy & Commerce Committee Chairman Joe Barton (R-TX) to 
investigate the findings and funding sources of three prominent climate 
scientists. In a July 14 letter, Boehlert characterized Barton's 
requests as ``pernicious'' and ``chilling.'' Boehlert said, ``The only 
conceivable explanation for the investigation is to attempt to 
intimidate a prominent scientist and to have Congress put its thumbs on 
the scales of a scientific debate.''
  But observers say the ROI may pose a thorny problem for the 
representative because he has recently squared off against competitive 
primary opponents and is anticipating another close race against a 
conservative in 2006. In seeking a thirteenth term, Boehlert faces 
conservative GOP primary challenger Bradford Jones, a former Seneca, 
NY, mayor who has already launched an election bid. Boehlert narrowly 
won a primary challenge against conservative Republican David Walruth 
in 2002 and faced him again in the 2004 primary. Walruth was backed by 
a number of conservative organizations, including the anti-tax group 
Club for Growth.
  A spokesman for Boehlert did not return calls seeking comment.
  And while many environmentalists praise Gilchrest's voting record, 
they are blasting his recent last-minute change of position on House 
refinery legislation. The legislation, supporters said, would speed 
production of refined oil and gasoline by aiding the country's oil 
refineries in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The Republican leadership 
cajoled members to support the measure in the face of near-unanimous 
Democratic opposition. Gilchrest's decision to switch his vote and side 
with most of his GOP colleagues in the end proved crucial as the bill 
passed 212-210.
  Ehlers recently broke party ranks by opposing a House-passed overhaul 
of the 1973 Endangered Species Act. The overhaul would give property 
owners new rights and reduce the Federal role in protecting habitats. 
It passed late last month by a vote of 229 to 193, although Ehlers 
joined Michigan's Democratic delegation in voting against the measure.
  Even if the ROI fails to gather GOP support, the tool may still allow 
House Democrats to gather executive branch information on climate 
change, according to congressional researchers.
  A 2003 Congressional Research Service report on the procedure finds 
that ROIs are ``often much more effective in obtaining information from 
the executive branch than one would expect from committee and floor 
action. Administrations have often released a substantial amount of 
information, leading the committee of jurisdiction to conclude that the 
dispute is moot and it is therefore appropriate to report the 
resolution adversely and table it on the floor.'' Relevant documents 
are available on InsideEPA.com.

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