Deniers

Senator: Richard Shelby of Alabama: In response to a letter from Weld for Birmingham contributor Tom Gordon, Sen. Shelby responded: “Important scientific research is ongoing, and there are still many questions that must be answered before we take steps to address this issue. For example, is the climate change phenomenon cyclical or is it a function of man-made pollutants, or both? I believe the science must be firmly grounded before we take any actions that could seriously cripple many sectors of our economy.”
Representative: Gary Palmer of Alabama: Alabama.com reported that Rep. Palmer said, "I am a firm believer in sound science. There have been new findings that clearly show the science is not settled on climate change."
Representative: Mo Brooks of Alabama: In a recent hearing of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, Rep. Brooks implied that rocks were causing rising sea levels, rather than climate change: "What about erosion? Every time you have that soil or rock, whatever it is, that is deposited into the seas, that forces the sea levels to rise because now you've got less space in those oceans because the bottom is moving up."
Representative: Robert Aderholt of Alabama: In an op-ed for the Daily Mountain Eagle, Rep. Aderholt wrote: "I fall into the second group of people who believe, as do many very credible scientists, that the earth is currently in a natural warming cycle rather than a man-made climate change. Many scientists believe that natural cycles of warming and cooling have existed since the beginning of Earth. If we take the current models of climate prediction and apply those same models to what actually happened in the last thirty years, the models are shown to be very flawed. In addition, what knowledge we do have of a warming period in the Middle Ages cannot be explained by current models which are focused on greenhouse gas reductions."
Representative: Don Young of Alaska: Rep. Young's website says, "I do not challenge that climate change is occurring, but the central question awaiting an answer is to what extent man-made emissions are responsible for this change. Contrary to popular opinion, that question remains unanswered."
Senator: Dan Sullivan of Alaska: In a 2014 interview with Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, Sen. Sullivan said: “With 7 billion humans on earth, there is likely some impact on nature. The last few years clearly show, though, that there is no concrete scientific consensus on the extent to which humans contribute to climate change.” More recently, he has made comments about "seeing the effects of a changing climate" in Alaska; however, his office did not respond to a request for comment from CAP Action, which asked Sen. Sullivan what he believes is causing these changes.
Representative: Debbie Lesko of Arizona: According to The Arizona Republic, when Rep. Lesko was asked at a candidate debate whether she believed in climate change, she responded: "Is some of it, maybe, human-caused? Possibly. But certainly not the majority of it. I think it just goes through cycles and it has to do a lot with the sun. So no, I'm not a global warming proponent."
Representative: Paul Gosar of Arizona: Rep. Gosar tweeted, "The Paris Climate Agreement won't change the climate but it will bankrupt the US. Also, it's unconstitutional." Additionally, in a press release that accompanied the tweet, he maintained: “President Trump ran his campaign on the idea of putting America’s interests first. He can fulfill that pledge in a big way by using his authority to completely withdraw the United States from the misguided Paris Climate Agreement. This unconstitutional treaty is nothing more than an extension of the Obama Administration’s ideological war on affordable energy. This liberal pipedream abdicates our sovereignty in favor of a global redistribution of wealth. Furthermore, this scheme was designed to favor our economic rivals like China and India by giving them until 2030 to reduce emissions while the United States front-loaded our costs at the expense of American jobs."
Representative: David Schweikert of Arizona: In a 2008 interview, Rep. Schweikert said: "Understanding what part of climate change is part of a natural cycle and what part has human components is the first step. Our elected officials must be careful to react to facts and not folklore."
Representative: Andy Biggs of Arizona: The Arizona Republic reports that at a town hall, Rep. Biggs said, “There are credible scientists who say climate change exists; we aren’t sure why. There are credible scientists who say that. There are credible scientists who say it doesn’t.”
Representative: Steve Womack of Arkansas: The Times Record reported that Rep. Womack said, “The climate changes — it has throughout history. The real debate is who or what is causing it?”
Representative: Rick Crawford of Arkansas: While speaking to radio station KASU 91.9 FM, Rep. Crawford fielded a question regarding climate change and then-President Barack Obama’s environmental agenda: “There’s not sound science to support some of the initiatives that the President, I think, is committed to. We know that some of the research was faulty and it drove a lot of the agenda for a long time. And then it turned out there were some questions about the validity of that research.” He continued, “I don’t see a lot of the green initiatives that are being talked about being supported by scientific data, but more supported by political agendas.”
Senator: John Boozman of Arkansas: As reported by The Guardian, Sen. Boozman has stated: “'Well I think that we’ve got perhaps climate change going on. The question is what’s causing it. Is man causing it, or, you know, is this a cycle that happens throughout the years, throughout the ages. And you can look back some of the previous times when there was no industrialization, you had these different ages, ice ages, and things warming and things. That’s the question." More recently, Boozman said in a Senate hearing: "Now I’m not a scientist but I’m an optometrist, and I spent much of my life working with the scientific community. I was a zoology major. And I’ve said before that there’s nothing scientific about discrediting people who present conflicting evidence and ask reasonable questions."
Representative: Bruce Westerman of Arkansas: In a 2017 hearing, Rep. Westerman said: “I assume if climate’s changing, it’s changing in Arkansas, as well as other places. So I did a little research and found out the number of forest fires in Arkansas has actually decreased over the past 20 years. It’s either held level or slightly decreased as our management has continued to increase. So apparently the climate change isn’t affecting forest fires in my state. You would think even though it’s a more moderate or temperate climate, if climate change was causing more fires we would see a lot more of them than what’s in the baseline.”
Senator: Tom Cotton of Arkansas: The Arkansas Times reported that at an energy panel in 2014, Sen. Cotton said: “The simple fact is that for the last 16 years the earth’s temperature has not warmed. That’s the facts...Now, there’s no doubt that the temperature has risen over the past 150, 200 years. It’s most likely that human activity has contributed to some of that.”
Representative: Devin Nunes of California: E&E News reported that in a recent podcast, Rep. Nunes said, "When I was a kid, we were having global cooling, and we were going to go into another ice age, and now we've switched it to now the Earth is warming."
Representative: Doug LaMalfa of California: The Guardian reported: "At a public meeting not far from the California town of Redding last year, the US congressman Doug LaMalfa said that he 'didn’t buy' human-made climate change. 'I think there’s a lot of bad science behind what people are calling global warming,' he said on another occasion."
Representative: Duncan D Hunter of California: Times of San Diego reported that Rep. Hunter said, “There is climate change. Is there human-caused climate change? I don’t buy that.”
Representative: Ken Calvert of California: Rep. Calvert co-sponsored H.R. 954, a resolution that stated: “Whereas recent events have uncovered extensive evidence from the Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia in England (in this resolution referred to as the ‘CRU’) which involved many researchers across the globe discussing the destruction, altering, and hiding of data that did not support global warming claims.”
Representative: Kevin McCarthy of California: According to InsideClimate News, "When asked specifically about whether human activities are driving climate change, McCarthy told The Wall Street Journal, 'I think there are changes in the environment. There are a lot of items to contribute to it.'"
Representative: Tom McClintock of California: Time reported: "'The climate has been changing for four and a half billion years,' McClintock said in a Sept. 23 [2018] debate with his Democratic opponent. 'The extent to which human activity has a role to play is being hotly debated right now.' He offered a similarly inaccurate statement during an Oct. 8 debate hosted by KQED. 'There’s no question that global temperatures have been warming on and off since the last ice age,' he said. 'The question is what are we going to do about them.'"
Senator: Cory Gardner of Colorado: In 2014, MSNBC wrote: “During the lightning round, yes-or-no portion of The Denver Post debate between Gardner and Udall, the Republican was asked ‘do you believe humans are contributing significantly to climate change?’ ‘Well, I’ve said all along climate is changing,’ Gardner began, earning reprimands from the moderators to answer in one word. ‘This is an important issue and I don’t think you can say yes or no,’ Gardner fired back, earning boos from the crowd and another reprimand. ‘I believe climate is changing, but I disagree to the extent that’s been in the news that man is changing –’ he started again, earning a third reprimand and a reminder that he would have time later to explain his answer if he wanted.” Since that time, a spokesman for Sen. Gardner wrote in an email to E&E News, "Senator Gardner believes human activity is a driver of climate change." However, Gardner's office did not respond to a request for comment and clarification as to whether he believes human activity is the primary driver of climate change, as is the scientific consensus.
Representative: Ken Buck of Colorado: The New York Times reported that Rep. Buck recently called one military proposal part of a “radical climate change agenda.”
Representative: Doug Lamborn of Colorado: On Twitter, Rep. Lamborn wrote, "#SOTU if climate change is such a settled issue, why does a recent @pewresearch poll show that only 30% of Americans are 'very concerned'?"
Representative: Scott Tipton of Colorado: When asked whether he thinks that humans play a role in climate change, Rep. Tipton responded: "I think that we've got a role to play. We need to take an advantage of new technology ... We're all in concert in terms of making sure that it's done right, and the role that we as humans have to play is making sure that we are good stewards."
Representative: Ross Spano of Florida: When the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops asked Rep. Spano whether he would establish "a national Climate Solutions Commission to develop policies that are economically viable, protect the environment, and mitigate the effects of climate change," Spano said he opposed. Rep. Spano's office did not respond to a request for comment from CAP Action.
Senator: Marco Rubio of Florida: As reported by The Washington Post, Sen. Rubio said on CNN's "State of the Union": “I think many scientists would debate the percentage of what is attributable to man versus normal fluctuations."
Representative: Bill Posey of Florida: The Washington Post reported that in a hearing on the social cost of carbon, Rep. Posey instead questioned the basic existence of climate change, asking, "Can anyone on the panel give me a date certain, even a year certain, that there was absolutely no climate change on this planet since the forming of it?”
Representative: Neal Dunn of Florida: The News Herald reported that Rep. Dunn said, "I am sure human activity plays some role, but I don't think the science is clear on how much is man-made and how much is natural."
Representative: John Rutherford of Florida: E&E News reported that Rep. Rutherford said, "Climate was changing before we had carbon emissions ... I need to be convinced how much of that is man and how much of it is just the global climate conditions."
Representative: Ted Yoho of Florida: According to the Gainesville Sun, in a town hall meeting in 2017, "Yoho also told the crowd he didn’t believe humans were the main cause of climate change."
Representative: Daniel Webster of Florida: Gizmodo reported that during a 2017 hearing on climate change, Rep. Webster used "the natural causes of the last ice age as 'proof' that humans aren’t responsible for warming."
Representative: Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida: In 2017, E&E News reported: "'It's more of a religion ... on both sides of the issue,' Mario Diaz-Balart said when asked about global warming. Past climate legislation would have been hugely costly to businesses and people in his district, he said, with only a minuscule impact on halting temperature rise. 'I don't play that game,' he said. 'My issue is, "All right, what is the problem that you're trying to solve?" and "Does it solve it?"'"
Senator: Rick Scott of Florida: The Guardian reported, "Scott continues to avoid talking about climate change on the campaign trail, often using the explanation 'I’m not a scientist' to dodge awkward questions."
Senator: David Perdue of Georgia: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Sen. Perdue told the publication, “The scientific community is not in total agreement about whether mankind has been a contributing factor.”
Representative: Austin Scott of Georgia: During a town hall meeting covered by NPR, Rep. Scott responded "Absolutely" to the question: "Do you dispute the U.S. military, NOAA, the Weather Channel as well as 95 percent-plus of climate scientists, in their conclusion that climate change is pushed by human activity?"
Representative: Doug Collins of Georgia: When asked by Vote Smart if he believes human activity is contributing to climate change, Rep. Collins answered “no.”
Senator: Johnny Isakson of Georgia: In response to Democratic senators' comments about carbon reduction, Sen. Isakson said on the Senate floor: “I believe the climate does change, but I don’t believe climate change is a religion. I think it’s science ... And there are mixed reviews on that and there’s mixed scientific evidence on that."
Representative: Buddy Carter of Georgia: The Savannah Morning News reported that Rep. Carter said: "You know of all the things we can do in the world we still can't control the weather ... And I've never bought into the climate change. I'm not naive enough to believe that we don't have some impact on it, but to think that we have enough of an impact to really change what is happening naturally, I'm not one of those who has really bought into that."
Representative: Rick Allen of Georgia: In response to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution question, Rep. Allen “vehemently rejected the idea that warming is an established fact,” asserting in an email that the “science is definitely NOT settled.”
Representative: Barry Loudermilk of Georgia: In a 2017 press release, Rep. Loudermilk said: "For several years, the EPA and other government bureaucracies have been pushing out environmental regulations based on new scientific ‘discoveries’ relating to climate change. However, the data on which these ‘discoveries’ are based have not been made available to the general scientific community for review or fact-checking. This has brought into question the overall motives of the EPA and other agencies who are demanding more environmental regulations. All regulatory decisions should be based on factual scientific information that is open and available for public viewing."
Representative: Jody Hice of Georgia: According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Rep. Hice said in a prepared statement: "It is a shame that because a scientist has reached a different conclusion on climate science than the liberal elite that the integrity of her research would be called into question."
Representative: Russ Fulcher of Idaho: The Spokesman-Review reported: "Asked about climate change, Fulcher said he believes 'in the cycle that’s happened since the beginning of time,' and said wildfires in Idaho and other states are a significant contributor of carbon emissions. 'Don’t be misled – if you take a look at this over the past thousand years, you’ll see a cycle up, a cycle down,' he said."
Representative: Mike Simpson of Idaho: In a statement on his website on his position on climate change, Rep. Simpson writes: "While scientists cannot explain the climate changes of the past few decades without including the effects of elevated greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations resulting from the use of fossil fuels, there is widespread disagreement as to the magnitude of human influence on the climate and the degree to which any effort by humanity to reduce carbon output would slow or reverse the effects of climate change."
Representative: John Shimkus of Illinois: Politico reported that Rep. Shimkus said, "And I do believe that God said the Earth would not be destroyed by a flood. Now, do I believe in climate change? In my trip to Greenland, the answer is yes. The climate is changing … The question is more about the costs and benefits and trying to spend taxpayer dollars on something that you cannot stop versus the changes that have been occurring forever. That's the real debate."
Representative: Darin LaHood of Illinois: The State Journal-Register reported that Rep. LaHood said, “The climate is changing and I believe humans play a role in that. There is no doubt about that. The question is, at whatever do they play a role? Is it 51 percent? Is it 35 percent? I am open minded to listen to people who can give me a different view on that."
Representative: Rodney Davis of Illinois: In response to a question on whether Rep. Davis believes that climate change is caused by man, a spokesman for the congressman told FactCheck.org, “It is one of the contributing factors, yes, but to what extent is open to debate and further research.” Rep. Davis' office did not respond to a request for comment from CAP Action.
Representative: Mike Bost of Illinois: In a 2014 interview with St. Louis Public Radio, Rep. Bost disagreed with his opponent, former Rep. Bill Enyart (D), over whether climate change is real: “I don’t. I don’t know that I do; no ... Some scientists do; some scientists don’t [believe in climate change]."
Representative: Jim Banks of Indiana: The Journal Gazette reported that "Banks also is uncertain whether climate change is happening and, if it is, whether human activities are a contributing factor. 'I believe there is some evidence and some scientific research that might support that, and other research that doesn’t.'"
Representative: Larry Bucshon of Indiana: ThinkProgress reported that at a hearing of the House Science, Space, and Technology committee, Rep. Bucshon said: “Over the last few years, we’ve gone from global warming to climate change since the temperature hasn’t changed in many, many years. The temperature or the earth has been changing for centuries. I fully believe that the temperature is changing. But of course now supporters of this new regulation are saying ‘Well, it’s changing now at an unusual pace compared to the past, because now the American public is getting it that the temperature of the earth has been changing for centuries.'”
Senator: Todd Young of Indiana: In a video published by WLKY, Sen. Young said: “My mind remains open about various scientific questions and so forth. We’re often told there’s a consensus among scientists, and I’ve come to discover, as the number of scientists I talk to and the number of things I read, that’s not necessarily the case."
Senator: Chuck Grassley of Iowa: As reported by Grist, in a conference call with agricultural reporters, Sen. Grassley said: "And so, not being a scientist, I don’t know exactly where to say only those things that are really quantifiable, and temperature has risen. But the scientific aspect that I still reserving judgment on is the extent to which it’s manmade or natural."
Senator: Joni Ernst of Iowa: In a 2018 CNN interview, Sen. Ernst said, "Well, we know that our climate is changing. Our climate always changes, and we see those ebbs and flows through time."
Representative: Steve King of Iowa: On Twitter in 2015, Rep. King wrote, "If Climate Change were 'settled science' and a 'fact based on data & sound science' protagonists would still be calling it Global Warming."
Representative: Roger Marshall of Kansas: As reported by KSNW, Rep. Marshall said, "I'm not sure that there is even climate change … I think it's something that we should continue to study and make sure our ecology continues to improve."
Senator: Pat Roberts of Kansas: HuffPost reported on a speech Sen. Roberts delivered in 2013: "But Roberts, who receives poor ratings from environmental groups, avoided linking the natural disasters to any kind of human-generated climate change, suggesting Mother Nature simply has it in for America. 'I don't know what we've done to Mother Nature, but she sure hasn't been very kind to us,' Roberts said."
Senator: Rand Paul of Kentucky: In a CNN interview, now on YouTube, Sen. Paul said: "So I don't think we should be alarmist about this. I mean, the planet is 4.5 billion years old. We have gone through great extremes of climate change, natural and now we may have a man-made influence as well, but these people—the question I always ask these alarmists is: How much is nature and how much is man? They act as if it's a given that man is the only source of climate change? Well, my goodness, the great climate changes in our history all happened before the industrial revolution. So, is there climate change? Can man have an impact? Yes. But let's don't be so alarmist as to say such outrageous things that if we don't sign the Paris accord, there's going to be mass extinction? That is a ridiculous statement."
Representative: James Comer of Kentucky: WFPL reported that Rep. Comer said: “I do not believe in global warming. I’m the one person whose business and livelihood depends on Mother Nature, so I understand weather patterns ... We’ve had a very severe winter this year with 12-inch snows, so there is no global warming.”
Senator: Mitch McConnell of Kentucky: Sen. McConnell told Kentucky Sports Radio: "What I have said repeatedly is I am not a scientist. But what I can tell you is, even if you thought that was important—and there are some scientists who do and some scientists who don't—but even if you thought that was important, the United States doing this by itself is going to have zero impact ... it's not a yes or no question. I am not a scientist ... There are different opinions among scientists."
Representative: Thomas Massie of Kentucky: The Louisville Eccentric Observer reported that Rep. Massie said, "Climate change may not be due to humans … What is the cause and effect?"
Representative: Steve Scalise of Louisiana: MSNBC reported that Rep. Scalise once said of former President Obama: ”I know the president loves talking about global warming – and they’re canceling flights all around the country due to snow blizzards.” Scalise's office did not respond to a request for additional comment from CAP Action.
Senator: Bill Cassidy of Louisiana: During a 2014 debate, Sen. Cassidy said, “global temperatures have not risen in 15 years.”
Senator: John Neely Kennedy of Louisiana: As reported by The Advocate, Sen. Kennedy "believes that global temperatures are rising but said the evidence does not clearly explain why."
Representative: Andrew Harris of Maryland: According to The Baltimore Sun, in a letter exchange with a constituent, who wrote to Rep. Harris asking if he was concerned about the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report from the United Nations, Harris responded that "he was ... but added that 'there are many different projections for the pace of climate change' and 'differing analysis for the degree of causality assigned to types of emissions.'"
Representative: Tim Walberg of Michigan: Time reported that at a town hall in Coldwater, Michigan, Rep. Walberg said: "I believe there’s climate change. I believe there’s been climate change since the beginning of time. Do I think man has some impact? Yeah, of course. Can man change the entire universe? No ... Why do I believe that? Well, as a Christian, I believe that there is a creator in God who is much bigger than us. And I’m confident that, if there’s a real problem, he can take care of it.”
Representative: Bill Huizenga of Michigan: A columnist at The Holland Sentinel wrote that she "recently received a letter from U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Zeeland, which questioned 'the extent to which reducing American emissions would impact climate change.'" Previously, MLive quoted Huizenga as saying: “Today’s global warming doomsayers simply lack the scientific evidence to support their claims. A host of leaders in the scientific community have recognized that the argument for drastic anthropogenic global warming is no longer based on science, but is being driven by irrational fanaticism.”
Representative: Fred Upton of Michigan: MLive reported that Rep. Upton said: “We’ve experienced climate change for a long time, highs and lows. We had the coldest winter ever last winter. There was a report out that the Great Lakes are six degrees below what they were a year ago. I don’t know that climate scientists can really predict where we’re headed.” Upton has since joined the Climate Solutions Caucus but has not clarified his beliefs on the science. Rep. Upton's office did not respond to a request for comment from CAP Action.
Representative: Justin Amash of Michigan: WGVU reported that Rep. Amash said, “I think humans do, and can impact the climate. The question then is to what extent and what do we do about it?”
Representative: John Moolenaar of Michigan: At a town hall, Rep. Moolenaar said in response to an audience member's question about his beliefs on climate change: "I think it's important that you know, I believe in sound science, in good science. I believe the federal government has an important role in funding good science. I also have seen how, sometimes, agencies like the EPA get off track in their mission and pursue ... I believe science, science moves forward ... when people challenge a theory."
Representative: Tom Emmer of Minnesota: Alpha News reported that in response to President Trump rolling back the Clean Power Plan, Rep. Emmer said, “President Trump has rolled back the Obama Administration’s most harmful environmental regulations—including the Clean Power Plan, which has cost many American jobs and has driven up energy costs for American families.” Previously, while on the floor of the Minnesota House of Representatives, Emmer gave a speech in which he stated, "Just because we make these chambers available to Will Steger and the crowd that wants to rely on Al Gore's climate porn doesn't mean that that's the way it is. There is another side of the story."
Representative: Jim Hagedorn of Minnesota: Rep. Hagedorn said on Minnesota Public Radio, "The earth has been heating and cooling since God's creation."
Representative: Pete Stauber of Minnesota: E&E News reported, "Newly elected Republicans Pete Stauber and Jim Hagedorn have raised questions about the role of anthropogenic emissions in climate change, but both say they support 'all of the above' energy policies, including more renewable energy." Rep. Stauber's office did not respond to a request for comment from CAP Action.
Senator: Roger Wicker of Mississippi: In early 2015, Mashable reported that Sen. Wicker was the only senator to vote against an amendment that stated, “Climate change is real and not a hoax.” In a statement after the vote, Wicker reportedly said: “I agree with the more than 31,000 American scientists who do not believe the science on this matter is settled. Scientific research is advanced by asking questions and allowing for multiple viewpoints.”
Representative: Jason Smith of Missouri: According to Earth Forums, "Jason Smith currently represents this district with a view that the effects of climate change are 'uncertain,' so no action should be taken."
Representative: Blaine Luetkemeyer of Missouri: On his website, Rep. Luetkemeyer says: “For far too long, American tax dollars have been sent to the United Nations to produce controversial science and feel-good conferences ... I hope my legislation makes it to the floor quickly to ensure that no future taxpayer dollars are spent to advance the United Nations’ global warming agenda.”
Representative: Vicky Hartzler of Missouri: During a cold snap in 2014, The Washington Post reported that Rep. Hartzler tweeted ironically, "Global warming strikes America! Brrrr!"
Senator: Roy Blunt of Missouri: Human Events reported that Sen. Blunt told an editor, “There isn’t any real science to say we are altering the climate path of the earth.”
Representative: Ann Wagner of Missouri: The Riverfront Times reported that Rep. Wagner wrote in an email: “The field of climate science is in its relative infancy and it appears that some within the public policy world have made dubious assessments of scientific information in order to further their own political agenda. Our policy response to this dilemma should not be based on inconsistent and unsound science or driven by the fear of a supposed catastrophe.”
Senator: Steve Daines of Montana: In a radio interview with Montana Public Radio, Sen. Daines admitted that the climate is changing but questioned humans' impact. Daines said that there is “significant debate here” and that the “jury is still out,” and he brought up the debate of sun and solar cycles versus greenhouse gases.
Representative: Adrian Smith of Nebraska: In a 2009 House floor speech declaring his concerns about cap-and-trade legislation, Rep. Smith said, "We are seeing serious doubts on the validity of the [climate] science of which is driving this flawed policy."
Senator: Deb Fischer of Nebraska: The Lincoln Journal Star reported: "Ms. Clowser [a legislative aide for Rep. Deb Fischer] told us that the senator acknowledges the climate is changing but believes it is due to natural cycles. She believes that improvements in coal-fired power plants and 'clean coal' technology have satisfied concerns about pollution emissions."
Representative: Don Bacon of Nebraska: Rep. Bacon recently wrote on Twitter, "In regards to climate change, there is no doubt temperatures are changing. We need to further study how much humans are responsible as opposed to natural causes, and from there take measures to protect our earth for future generations."
Representative: Mark Amodei of Nevada: Rep. Amodei states on his website's "Environment" page: "I do not believe it is appropriate for the federal government to advocate one position over another in discussions of climate change. I do think that we should promote unbiased scientific research funded by both the government and the private sector to help answer climate change questions and bring effective solutions to any human causes."
Representative: Ted Budd of North Carolina: Rep. Budd told the News & Record that "he does not see 'clear evidence' that man contributes to climate change."
Representative: Walter Jones Jr. of North Carolina: A spokesperson for Rep. Jones told McClatchy that the congressman “is skeptical of the theory of man-made climate change."
Representative: Virginia Foxx of North Carolina: According to the Center for Public Integrity: “North Carolina Republican Virginia Foxx referenced books by climate-change skeptics and lamented that some environmentalists ‘think that we, human beings, have more impact on the climate and the world than God does.'”
Representative: Mark Harris of North Carolina: The Charlotte Observer reported: "Harris is an evangelical Christian who believes in a 'Young Earth' theory that the world was created less than 10,000 years ago. He disputes the findings of a majority of scientists who say the world is at least 4.5 billion years old. 'I think there’s a lot of issues with the dating,' Harris said this week. 'And there are also bodies of scientists that also hold to a Young Earth theory. Do I believe in creation? Yes. And the creative hand of God? I do. That’s part of my faith and that’s what I believe. . . . I will continue to base my faith on the belief in Genesis.' Harris says he values science and believes the answer to issues such as climate change is 'just to be good stewards of the earth.'"
Senator: Thom Tillis of North Carolina: In a 2018 interview with Spectrum News, Sen. Tillis said: “I think we have to come up with several strategies to recognize reality. That climate changes. Sometimes it changes just because it has over millennia, and other times it changes because of human factors.”
Representative: Mark Walker of North Carolina: HuffPost reported on a 2017 town hall with Rep. Walker, writing, "he doesn’t doubt the climate is shifting, but that he is unsure 'how much of it is man-made,' and that acting to curb the causes might be too burdensome."
Representative: David Rouzer of North Carolina: According to WECT, Rep. Rouzer said: "You have some scientists saying it is significantly influenced by mankind. You have some scientists say it is not influenced by mankind. Both are statements of fact ... From a public policy perspective, when you're dealing with property values, tax bases, people's lives, public policy should be based on sound science. Not the opinion of this group of scientists or that group of scientists. It needs to be real concrete science where you absolutely know for certain. The scientific community is split on climate science."
Representative: Mark Meadows of North Carolina: Right Wing Watch reported, "Meadows, for his part, mocked government officials who are concerned about climate change’s implications for national security: 'How ridiculous is that when you have our fighting men and women, they get up and they say, "man it’s a little chilly, maybe today is the day that we’ve got to worry about climate change." It’s just ridiculous.'”
Representative: Richard Hudson of North Carolina: In a 2015 op-ed for the Independent Tribune, Rep. Hudson wrote: "Despite these glaring problems that beg for American leadership and must be addressed, President Barack Obama thinks our biggest challenge is the weather. He and his administration have repeatedly listed climate change as the biggest threat to future generations."
Representative: Patrick McHenry of North Carolina: As reported by the Asheville Citizen-Times, "McHenry said he is leaving the debate over the existence or cause of global warming to scientists, but has backed the renewable energy industry."
Senator: John Hoeven of North Dakota: In 2015, Sen. Hoeven offered a resolution in the Senate, stating that human-caused climate change is real but that the Keystone XL pipeline would lead to fewer emissions. However, as HuffPost reported, "That measure fell one vote short of the 60 needed to pass, at 59 to 40, after Hoeven voted against his own amendment."
Senator: Kevin Cramer of North Dakota: On C-SPAN in 2017, in response to a question on whether he believed in climate change, then-Rep. Cramer said, "For me, it doesn't even matter … that's why I'm trying to find this middle ground."
Representative: Bill Johnson of Ohio: On his Facebook page, Rep. Johnson posted an article entitled "MSNBC's Chuck Todd Keeps 'Climate Deniers' Off His Hourlong Global Warming Special," then wrote the following post in response: "The issue here isn't so-called 'climate change,' but what happens the next time there is an issue Chuck Todd or other members of the media don't want to debate? Today, it's this, but tomorrow it could be the 2nd Amendment or immigration. Not giving the other side a say and refusing to hear opinions contrary to your own - that's being a real 'denier', and, it creates a chilling effect on public debate and free speech."
Senator: Rob Portman of Ohio: As reported by the Sandusky Register in 2018: "Portman said he believes the Earth is warming; the data is clear. It’s less clear on how much of that is man-made, but 'I’m willing to err on the side of saying that human involvement is part of it,' he said ... Summing up his [climate] change views, Portman said, 'I believe we know enough to know we have to do something. I believe there are some sensible things we can do that don’t have a big negative economic impact.'"
Representative: Bob Gibbs of Ohio: As reported by The Kenyon Collegian, during a public meeting, Rep. Gibbs told a group of residents "that he did not believe there is a scientific consensus on whether or not humans affect the climate, which caused an uproar among the attendees."
Representative: Steve Stivers of Ohio: In a 2018 interview with News Journal, Stivers said, "It is clear the climate is changing to me." However, later on, he said: "We need to figure out how to create negative-emissions technology that can be used to essentially clean like a vacuum cleaner cleans this floor. Negative-emissions technology would take emissions and change them and put more oxygen and less carbon dioxide in the air ... It's called global warming, not America warming."
Representative: Warren Davidson of Ohio: According to the Journal-News, Rep. Davidson said that the “real science [behind climate change is] in dispute.”
Representative: Steve Chabot of Ohio: The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that Rep. Chabot said in a statement: “Despite claims to the contrary, the evidence concerning man-made climate change is far from conclusive ... However, what is conclusive is the damage some of the more extreme proposals intended to address climate change, like cap-and-trade, will have on our economy.”
Representative: Kevin Hern of Oklahoma: In January 2019, The New York Times reported, “Mr. Hern, the aerospace engineer elected in Oklahoma, has questioned whether human activity is the primary cause of climate change.” When CAP Action requested comment, Rep. Hern's office provided the New York Times article and did not respond to further requests for clarification.
Representative: Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma: In an interview with ThinkProgress, Rep. Mullin said, “I haven’t seen the reports that would get me to believe that anything’s different [with regards to climate change] than the patterns that we had, that we’ve gone through the time of records.”
Representative: Frank Lucas of Oklahoma: As reported by HuffPost, during a House floor speech, Rep. Lucas said, “Most telling of the EPA’s irrational regulatory approach is how the EPA has concluded that the breath that we exhale, the gas that livestock expels, are dangerous pollutants and should be regulated by the Clean Air Act.”
Senator: James Lankford of Oklahoma: The Edmond Sun reported that Sen. Lankford said during a debate: “This whole global warming myth will be exposed as what it really is — a way of control more than anything else ... And that generation will be ticked.”
Senator: Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma: The Stillwater News Press reported that Sen. Inhofe said: “First of all, we’ve never argued, climate has always been changing ... All evidence is there. We’re talking about scriptural evidence, we’re talking about scientific evidence ... You can’t argue with climate change because it’s always been changing."
Representative: Scott Perry of Pennsylvania: In an article about candidates' views on climate change, PennLive wrote: "'The climate's changing, without a doubt. I think we contribute to it. I don't know exactly how, and that becomes the rub,' Perry said. He went on to cite research that suggest global surface temperature data often used to corroborate climate change over time has been 'adjusted' to make the planet appear cooler in the past."
Representative: Glenn Thompson of Pennsylvania: As reported by the Centre Daily Times, at an August 2017 Town Hall, Rep. Thompson responded to a constituent's question about humans' role in climate change by saying, "I think humans contribute. The amount that it contributes versus, compared to the natural evolving climate changes and perhaps are based on sunspot activity.”
Representative: John Joyce of Pennsylvania: In response to a question from Public Opinion, Rep. Joyce wrote: "Like most issues that scientists face, global warming cannot be explained by one cause alone. Variations in solar energy, the cyclical changes in the tilt, the orbit of the earth around the sun, the changing oceanic circulation, as well as human effects, can ALL contribute to this problem. A simple one answer solution is not obvious. Just as all cancers cannot be assumed to be caused by one agent, Global warming is a multi-factorial problem that will require evaluation from many angles to solve."
Senator: Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania: A spokesperson for Sen. Toomey told PennLive that "the senator has always held that human activity contributes to climate change. It's just the degree to which human activity plays a role that was up for debate as far as the senator was concerned." Previously, Toomey has stated, "The extent to which that has been caused by human activity, I think is not as clear. I think that is still very much disputed, and it's been debated.”
Representative: Joe Wilson of South Carolina: Rep. Wilson questioned the science underlying climate change on Twitter: "Interesting article about the 'facts' concerning climate change." The article Wilson shared was from The Daily Caller and was titled "300 Scientists Want NOAA to Stop Hiding Its Global Warming Data."
Representative: Jeff Duncan of South Carolina: In response to the October 2018 International Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, Rep. Duncan said: “The climate alarmists continue to move the goalposts when their politically motivated projections do not come true. What was predicted decades ago has yet to take place. We all know that global temperatures have changed throughout the generations, but we must not look to activist climate organizations to push a false agenda in an effort to upend parts of our economy."
Representative: Phil Roe of Tennessee: According to Vote Smart, Rep. Roe maintains: “Many believe greenhouse gas emissions are contributing to the gradual warming of our planet and changing of our climate. While there are many questions surrounding the science of the issue, it seems to me like we could develop a solution that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions without inflicting catastrophic damage on our economy.”
Senator: Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee: Business Insider reported that in a debate with CNN host Chris Cuomo, then-Rep. Blackburn said: “Of course you can be a believer in clean air and clean water and realize that when you work at global warming or climate change, as it is now popularly called, that it is cyclical and you have to look at it in terms of centuries, not in terms of decades ... And the science around that is not a settled science.”
Representative: Tim Burchett of Tennessee: In response to a winter snowstorm, Rep. Burchett tweeted, "Al Gore needs to scrape my dadgum windshield."
Representative: Chuck Fleischmann of Tennessee: In a 2012 candidate debate, when asked his views on climate change Rep. Fleischmann responded, “I think we ought to take Al Gore, put him on an iceberg, and put him way out there.”
Representative: Michael McCaul of Texas: In his keynote speech at the 2018 International Affairs Fellowship Conference, Rep. McCaul said, "Well, that issue’s gotten completely politicized, as you know. And, you know, the question is, are we going through a normal Earth cycle or is it—how much of this is man-made?"
Representative: Jodey Arrington of Texas: Abilene Reporter-News reported: "Global warming has become a political thunderstorm. Mr. Arrington said the facts fall both ways, so he's not yet convinced."
Representative: Brian Babin of Texas: On Twitter, Rep. Babin wrote, "Great discussion w/@SarahPalinUSA today at #ClimateHustle screening about the falsehoods of climate change. #TX36"
Representative: Chip Roy of Texas: The San Antonio Express-News reported, "Shortly after he received Smith’s endorsement in the runoff, Roy said the two Republicans agree on 'the hysteria around climate change.'"
Representative: Ron Wright of Texas: In a video stating his stance on various campaign issues, Rep. Wright said: "I think we have to strike a balance, and that's what [Rep.] Joe [Barton] tried to do ... When I graduated from high school, they were predicting another ice age. Well, that didn't happen ... We can have both. We can have clean water and clean air, and robust industry."
Senator: John Cornyn of Texas: The Houston Chronicle reported: "When CBS News announced it would no longer allow guests to argue that climate change is not real, [Sen. Cornyn] offered a Sphinx-like rebuttal on Twitter: 'Science is not static.'" Previously, The Dallas Morning News reported that Cornyn admitted that the climate is changing and that it is due in part to human activity, but he is "not willing to put the federal government in charge of trying to micromanage the environment for the United States of America ... by putting restrictions in place that other nations are not."
Representative: Michael C Burgess of Texas: The Denton Record-Chronicle reported that Rep. Burgess recently hosted the annual University of North Texas (UNT) Energy Summit and Fair, where regional EPA Administrator Anne Idsal spoke. When asked about her views on climate change, she said that she "doesn't necessarily think the science has panned out on that ... there is a potential that you do have some impact from humankind throughout the globe. What exactly that impact may be or is, I don’t necessarily think the science has been settled on that.” At the end of the event, when asked about Idsal's statements, Burgess simply said, "I don't disagree with her."
Representative: Lance Gooden of Texas: In response to a question from The Dallas Morning News' voter guide, Rep. Gooden said: "I don’t deny the conclusions of the scientific community, but I take issue with those who claim to have all the answers. Climate science is imprecise and so are the consequences of any legislative action we take to address the issue. We can never be so arrogant to believe we can predict with certainty the impacts that will follow specific regulations about emissions, not only for the environment, but also for our economy."
Representative: Randy Weber of Texas: At a November 2017 hearing of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, Rep. Weber said, “The future is bright for geoengineering." He said that some proposals such as "placement of mirrors in space" and "brightening the clouds overhead ... could have a cooling effect on our lower atmosphere."
Representative: Pete Olson of Texas: In a statement regarding the United States' withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement, Rep. Olson said: "I have long said that while I support clean air and clean water, any actions on climate change by the US need to be weighed against the science, the impact our reductions will have on a global scale and the economic impacts they will have here at home."
Representative: Van Taylor of Texas: On March 13, 2016, Rep. Taylor tweeted out an article from The Daily Signal, which claimed that then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch was considering prosecuting "climate change deniers." He commented, "Obama wants to prosecute people who disagree with him...you can't make this up."
Representative: Mike Conaway of Texas: Rep. Conaway said on the House floor, “Science is never settled … They changed the phraseology because the climate isn’t warming.”
Representative: Louie Gohmert of Texas: In a Breitbart News Daily radio clip, Rep. Gohmert said: “I also noticed, Steven, that it seems like when you hear somebody say over and over again that climate change is our biggest problem, they don’t know that climate has been changing a lot worse over all the millennia of mankind. In fact, I asked a witness, hey, is it as warm as it was back when Leif Erikson and the Norse came across to Greenland and had all those farms in Greenland? He said, it’s never gotten anywhere close to being that warm since then. Do we have any idea what kind of internal combustion engines they were using back then that was causing all this climate change?”
Representative: Dan Crenshaw of Texas: On a Facebook Live feed, Rep. Crenshaw said: "We need to have a well-reasoned discussion and debate about what is causing climate change ... We can't start off the conversation saying the climate is settled. The right way to have this conversation is to actually listen to what the science says on both sides."
Representative: John Carter of Texas: In an op-ed published on his website, Rep. Carter said, “We may or may not even be in a warming cycle. Even if we are, scientific evidence does not conclude that activity by man plays any significant role.”
Representative: Mac Thornberry of Texas: Hereford BRAND reported that Rep. Thornberry said, “We need to be careful of what we say in the name of climate change ... It has become untethered from what the science really proves so far.”
Senator: Ted Cruz of Texas: In a debate during the 2018 Senate race, High Plains Public Radio reported that Sen. Cruz responded to a question about climate change by saying, "The climate has been changing from the dawn of time ... The climate will change as long as we have a planet Earth."
Representative: Kevin Brady of Texas: In 2014, Rep. Brady posted a Daily Caller article titled "NASA data shows that the 'pause' in global warming continues" on Facebook, commenting, "I wonder if proponents of 'climate change' consider a NASA climatologist worth listening to."
Senator: Mike Lee of Utah: In an argument with a reporter on Twitter regarding what he said during NASA nominee Jim Bridenstine's Senate hearing in November 2017, Sen. Lee wrote, "'Climate-warming trends over the past century are extremely likely due to human activities' ≠ human activities are primary drivers of trends." In the comment thread, the reporter posted Sen. Lee's full statement from the hearing: "There was a discussion a moment ago about climate change, and whether or not you regard climate change as being primarily caused by human activity. It's my understanding that it's not even the position of NASA at this point that there is a consensus point. So I think it was entirely appropriate for you to defer and acknowledge your viewpoint that it is an issue, a factor, but defer to answer the question as to whether or not is the primary driver of it."
Representative: Rob Bishop of Utah: During a discussion with E&E News' interview program, OnPoint, Rep. Bishop said, “If the issue is dealing with carbon in the air and there is climate change all the time and I wish there was more global warming right now. Because it's really cold here -- I want it warmer in some way.”
Representative: Chris Stewart of Utah: In a 2013 op-ed for The Salt Lake Tribune, Rep. Stewart wrote, “The science regarding climate change is anything but settled.”
Representative: Morgan Griffith of Virginia: Virginia Public Radio reported: “Griffith says the US alone can't make an impact on the earth’s atmosphere because China and India use so much coal. 'Because what’s happening is they’re spewing all that into the atmosphere in Asia and other parts of the world that are still using coal and then what happens is that it floats through the atmosphere, we all share the same atmosphere. So if you only look at the United States, if you take that position that we’re just going to fix the U.S., we’re not going to fix the rest of the world by doing that.'"
Representative: Rob Wittman of Virginia: As reported by The American Prospect, Rep. Wittman told the Richmond-Times Dispatch in 2013: “We must recognize that these climactic cycles of heating and cooling have been going on well before man appeared on earth.”
Representative: Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington: The Spokesman-Review reported that "McMorris Rodgers said she believes human activity is 'partially' responsible for global warming."
Senator: Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia: HuffPost reported that Sen. Capito said, “I don’t necessarily think the climate’s changing, no.” Sen. Capito's office did not respond to a request for further comment from CAP Action.
Representative: David McKinley of West Virginia: As reported by E&E News, while on an energy policy panel, Rep. McKinley said, "I think only 4 percent of the CO2 emissions are anthropogenic. Ninety-six percent is naturally occurring."
Representative: Alex Mooney of West Virginia: While covering a 2014 candidate forum in West Virginia, ThinkProgress reported: "Mooney and Casey, however, also openly questioned whether climate change was primarily caused by humans, using the increasingly popular excuse that they're not qualified to know. Mooney said that he didn't believe that scientists had yet come to a consensus around the issue, but said the debate belongs 'in the climate change community.'"
Representative: Jim Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin: In a town hall, Rep. Sensenbrenner said, "I think there is a man-made impact on climate change; there is a scientific consensus that is the case, but there is no scientific consensus on how much human action impacts the climate."
Representative: Sean P. Duffy of Wisconsin: Rep. Duffy once tweeted in response to a statement from President Obama: "POTUS says 2014 warmest year on record...please tell that to the Wisconsinites with empty propane tanks. #AlwaysSunnyOnTheGolfCourse"
Representative: Glenn Grothman of Wisconsin: In a town hall, Rep. Grothman said: "I don't think the global temperatures have gone up very much over the last dozen or so years; I think if you look over a period of history, there are cold years and warm years and cold decades and warm decades and cold centuries and warm centuries ... Now, we're in a situation right now where I don't think we've had any horrible things happen ... it seems to me that whenever something bad happens, they blame climate change. I do think, over time, we have droughts, all kinds of good things, bad things. I don't think we have enough information to spend billions or trillions of dollars."
Senator: Ron Johnson of Wisconsin: During a WRJN segment, Sen. Johnson said, "First of all, the climate hasn't warmed in quite a few years. That is proven scientifically."
Representative: Liz Cheney of Wyoming: On KOWB radio show, Rep. Cheney said, “I think that [the federal government’s] assertions about climate change are based on junk science."
Senator: John Barrasso of Wyoming: The Hill reported that when asked about how human activities contribute to climate change, Sen. Barrasso responded, "The climate is constantly changing. The role human activity plays is not known."
Senator: Mike Enzi of Wyoming: In an interview with Wyoming Public Radion, Sen. Enzi responded to the release of the 2014 White House climate assessment, saying, “I barely made it back here because of a May snowstorm in Wyoming. They got 18 inches in Cheyenne. It’s a little hard to convince Wyoming people there’s global warming. We have 186% of normal snow pack. That’s global warming?”

Collected from the Climate Deniers 2019 -- final Google Doc. which was referenced from the Center for American Progress article Climate Deniers in the 117th Congress.