Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW), has introduced 16 resolutions aimed at formally recognizing the harms caused by climate change and toxic air pollution. The move comes as the Trump Administration considers rolling back the endangerment finding, which would affect federal efforts to address human-caused climate change.
Whitehouse emphasized the importance of basing policy on scientific evidence. “These are statements of fact, backed up by decades of scientific evidence,” said Ranking Member Whitehouse. “An industry corruptly denying the dangers of climate change doesn’t change the science; it’s a choice between truth and falsehood. So we want to put the Senate on record, as insurance costs skyrocket for homes on the front lines of climate change, and the looming Great Climate Insurance Collapse threatens to trash our entire economy. Protecting public health, public safety, and economic stability is a duty we all share, and I urge all my colleagues to take this chance to stand with the facts and pass these commonsense resolutions.”
The resolutions have been cosponsored by Senators Amy Klobuchar, Jeff Merkley, Brian Schatz, Ed Markey, Chris Van Hollen, Tammy Duckworth, Tina Smith, Alex Padilla, Peter Welch, and Lisa Blunt Rochester.
Among other points, the resolutions acknowledge that climate change is not a hoax but established science; that sea levels are rising due to human activity; that extreme weather events are increasing while government monitoring systems are being reduced; and that pollution from mercury and particulates can cause severe health problems.
The EPW Committee oversees federal programs related to environmental protection and infrastructure development through specialized subcommittees. Its work includes addressing pollution control, water resources management, transportation infrastructure projects, and nationwide legislation for public works and natural resource conservation according to its official website. The committee also maintains its administrative base in the Senate Dirksen Office Building in Washington D.C., supporting hearings and legislative operations (source).
Shelley Moore Capito currently chairs the committee (source). The committee plays a central role in reviewing legislation with national impact on environmental quality and infrastructure maintenance (source).
The full text of each resolution is available online along with details about their co-sponsors.
