Inhofe Statement on Pope Francis' Encyclical on Climate Change

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact:
Kristina Baum - 202.224.6176
Donelle Harder - 202.224.4721

"I disagree with the pope's philosophy on global warming. I am concerned that his encyclical will be used by global warming alarmists to advocate for policies that will equate to the largest, most regressive tax increase in our nation's history. It's the poor that spend the biggest portion of their expendable income to heat their homes, and they will be the ones to carry the heaviest burden of such onerous policies.

"I believe we should be good stewards of the earth God gave us, which is why I advocated for the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 and the Clear Skies Act, and today I am pushing to reform and enhance the Toxic Substance Control Act, reauthorize the Brownfields program, and advance abandoned mine clean up across the nation. As Dr. Thomas Burke, EPA's Science Advisor, told the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee last week, science is never settled. Climate science isn't settled. We have been innovative with our energy supply, and for generations the U.S. has lifted people out of poverty through the development of our God-given natural resources, most prominently from fossil fuels. We have worked to make these resources cleaner and more efficient, and natural gas is a perfect example. To unravel this fabric of economic opportunity would create more poverty, not less. Energy is a lifeblood of the modern world, and we cannot ignore that efficient, cost-effective electricity is a means to sufficient healthcare, employment opportunities, agriculture production, and vitality of life."