Washington, D.C. — In advance of the People’s Climate March this Saturday, the Center for American Progress Action Fund today released “The 2017 Anti-Science Climate Denier Caucus,” a new analysis of the state of climate denial in Congress. The analysis finds that 180 members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate deny the science behind climate change, and every single denier is a member of the Republican Party. Members of the Climate Denier Caucus have received more than $82 million in campaign contributions from the dirty energy industry, including oil, gas, and coal.
Today’s analysis also highlights the unprecedented scenario the country is in with a climate denier in the White House. Beyond calling climate change a “hoax” perpetrated by the Chinese, President Donald Trump is filling his cabinet and senior staff with climate deniers, attacking progress on climate action, prioritizing corporate profits over environmental and public health protections, and ignoring scientific analysis at federal agencies.
“Along with President Trump, these climate deniers are intent on putting the interests of polluters ahead of our climate and public health,” said Claire Moser, Senior Campaign Manager for Climate with the Center for American Progress Action Fund. “With members of Congress starting to feel the heat at town halls, it’s far past time that all of our leaders in Washington accept the indisputable science and support strong climate action.”
According to the analysis, there are 180 climate deniers in the 115th Congress in 2017: 142 in the House and 38 in the Senate. That’s more than 59 percent of the Republican House caucus and 73 percent of Republicans in the Senate who deny the scientific consensus that climate change is happening, that humans are the main cause, and that it is a serious threat. No Democrats deny the science behind climate change.
Today’s analysis is the latest in a series tracking climate denial in Congress. Since last year, seven former members of the Climate Denier Caucus have taken senior-level positions in the Trump administration.
Notably, many members of Congress are starting to shift their tone and avoid climate denial, while still voting against the environment and taking steps to undo climate protections. For example, this year’s analysis does not include Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), who had become known for his science denial and received the “Climate Change Denier” award from the League of Conservation Voters in August 2013. Although Issa has recently made statements claiming that he has begun to accept humans’ role in climate change, he has been evasive about real action and has taken a number of key votes against the environment and science so far this year.
Today’s analysis includes an interactive map with state-by-state totals of climate deniers in each delegation, which can be found here.
For more information on this topic or to speak with an expert, contact Tom Caiazza at [email protected] or 202.481.7141.