A top Democratic senator is urging a congressional watchdog to investigate multiple ways in which climate change poses a threat to the environment and humans as a means to document the issues for future oversight and bill drafting.
Sen. Tom CarperThomas (Tom) Richard CarperOvernight Energy: Dems challenge Trump UN nominee on climate change | Senators seek probe into head of EPA air office | UN report warns 1 million species threatened by extinction Dem senators call for probe into EPA officials over memo language Biden cements spot as 2020 front-runner MORE (D-Del.), ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, sent five separate letters to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) Monday to open up as many studies into how global warming is affecting areas that the federal government oversees.
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The letters, also co-signed by other Democratic senators, ask the GAO to look into how climate change might affect energy infrastructure, nuclear waste storage, flood risk management, Superfund sites and chemical facilities.
Sens. Joe ManchinJoseph (Joe) ManchinTrump court pick confirmed despite no blue slip from Schumer, Gillibrand Overnight Health Care: Trump wants HHS to help Florida with drug imports | Graham calls inaction on drug prices ‘unacceptable’ | Abortion battles heat up with Kavanaugh on Supreme Court Bipartisan pair of senators urges Barr to defend ObamaCare in court MORE (D-W.Va.) and Tammy DuckworthLadda (Tammy) Tammy DuckworthMother’s Day — let’s address the growing childcare crisis Ex-GOP Sen. Kirk registers to lobby Overnight Defense: Top Trump security officials discuss Venezuela options | Trump contradicts advisers on Russia’s role in crisis | Administration renews Iran civil nuclear work waivers MORE (D-Ill.) each also signed a letter. Sen. Cory BookerCory Anthony BookerHealth care, climate change top issues for Iowans ahead of caucuses: analysis Michael Bennet must find a way to stand out in the crowd Poll: Biden leads 2020 Democratic field by 31 points in South Carolina MORE (D-N.J.), a 2020 presidential candidate, backed the letters calling for a report on Superfund and chemical sites.
The lawmakers’ requests follow the release of the GAO’s biennial High Risk List, which found that neither international nor U.S. efforts to stave off climate change “approach the scales needed to avoid substantial damage to the U.S. economy, environment and human health over the coming decades.”
“The Government Accountability Office has already joined leagues of scientists and nonpartisan experts in raising the alarm about the short- and long-term risks climate change poses to our country’s environment, public health and economy,” Carper said in a statement.
“These nonpartisan studies would help to inform our oversight and legislative work on the Environment and Public Works Committee as we continue working on climate change solutions.”