III 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 573 

Expressing the sense of the Senate that climate change is real and that 

the National Science Foundation should engage on the communication 

of sound climate change science to the public. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 12, 2018 

Mr. WHITEHOUSE (for himself, Mr. REED, Ms. HASSAN, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, 

Mr. UDALL, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. BOOKER, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. CARPER, Ms. 

DUCKWORTH, Mr. DURBIN, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. WYDEN, Mr. MERKLEY, 

Mr. SANDERS, Ms. HARRIS, Mr. SCHATZ, and Mr. MARKEY) submitted 

the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the Senate that climate change is 

real and that the National Science Foundation should 

engage on the communication of sound climate change 

science to the public. 

Whereas there is scientific consensus based on peer-reviewed 

research and scientific evidence that— 

(1) climate change is occurring due to increases in 

carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere; and 

(2) human activity has caused a significant increase 

in the atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases; 


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•SRES 573 IS 

Whereas scientific measurements show that the concentration 

of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere ranged from 170 to 

300 parts per million for at least 800,000 years (4 times 

as long as the species homo sapiens has existed), but has 

now, according to measurements taken at the Mauna Loa 

Observatory, exceeded 400 parts per million in each of 

the last 5 years; 

Whereas the National Science Foundation (referred to in this 

preamble as the ‘‘NSF’’) is an independent Federal agency created by Congress ‘‘to promote the progress of 

science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and 

welfare; [and] to secure the national defense’’; 

Whereas the approval of any grant awards by NSF must undergo a rigorous merit review standard, including review 

by outside independent reviewers who do not work for the 

NSF or the institution that employs the researchers applying for the grant; 

Whereas Congress reaffirmed the rigorous merit review 

standard of the NSF in Public Law 114–329; 

Whereas the authorizing statute of the NSF states that the 

long-term goals of the NSF include promoting ‘‘the discovery, integration, dissemination, and application of new 

knowledge in service to society’’; 

Whereas the American Meteorological Society, the premier 

professional organization of the United States for individuals who work in the atmospheric and related sciences— 

(1) promotes broadcast meteorologists as ‘‘station 

scientists’’; and 

(2) equips broadcast meteorologists with tools and 

skills necessary to cover weather and climate effects on 

public health, transportation, agriculture, and energy use; 


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•SRES 573 IS 

Whereas fossil fuel companies and allied organizations (according to peer-reviewed scientific research and investigative reporting) have long known about climate change 

and the role of fossil fuels in driving climate change; 

Whereas fossil fuel companies are known to, both directly and 

through their trade associations, public relations firms, 

and foundations— 

(1) support sophisticated campaigns to deny, 

counter, and obfuscate peer-reviewed research; and 

(2) use misinformation campaigns to mislead the 

public about climate change; and 

Whereas, it is in the public interest that scientists and other 

experts— 

(1) communicate peer-reviewed science to the public; 

and 

(2) educate the public about the causes and consequences of climate change: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that— 

2 (1) climate change is real and human activity is 

3 the main driver of modern climate change; 

4 (2) the scientific consensus on climate change 

5 and the implications of climate change with respect 

6 to the increase in the frequency and severity of ex7 treme weather makes it in the public interest that 

8 broadcast meteorologists knowledgeably commu9 nicate scientifically based climate information to the 

10 public; 

11 (3) fossil fuel companies, both directly and 

12 through their trade associations, public relations 


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•SRES 573 IS 

1 firms, and foundations, should cease their misin2 formation campaigns concerning the dangers of cli3 mate change; and 

4 (4) it is within the authority and aligned with 

5 the mission of the National Science Foundation to 

6 provide grants to broadcast meteorologists to im7 prove their understanding of climate change science 

8 and ability to communicate climate change science to 

9 the public. 

Æ 


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