Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc.), the new vice-chairman of the House Science Committee, has emerged as the most likely member of Congress to launch attacks on climate science and climate scientists, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).

Rep. Ralph Hall (R-Texas), the new House Science Committee chair, told Politico in mid-December: “With [Sensenbrenner’s] background, his insistence, he can do the mean things that we don’t want to do. I’m a peaceful guy; he likes combat.” 

Mean is one thing. Being wrong is another. Sensenbrenner’s previous public statements on climate science show that he routinely ignores and denies even the most robust, vetted scientific findings. In December 2009, for example, during a congressional hearing, Sensenbrenner referred to a federal climate report compiled by 13 agencies and independent academics as “at worst junk science.” He claimed that the report was “part of a massive international scientific fraud.” In fact, the report was thoroughly peer-reviewed and commissioned by Congress under the 1990 Global Change Research Act.

During that same hearing, Sensenbrenner also accused climate scientists whose emails were stolen around that time of engaging in “scientific fascism.” In the months following the hearing, multiple investigations exonerated the scientists involved.

Although the House Science Committee has not announced hearings, the Dallas Morning News reported on December 13 that Rep. Hall is “interested in the truth on” whether or not scientists made “false statements” and would be open to subpoenaing them.

A witch hunt against climate scientists would an irresponsible abuse of time and taxpayer money, according to UCS. It would also send a chilling message to climate scientists, who provide essential research enabling local and state governments to adapt to the consequences of climate change, from floods to droughts to heat waves.  Representative Sensenbrenner would better serve his constituents and the nation by governing responsibly and promoting solutions to combat climate change.

The Union of Concerned Scientists is the leading U.S. science-based nonprofit organization working for a healthy environment and a safer world. Founded in 1969, UCS is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and also has offices in Berkeley, Chicago and Washington, D.C.