We’re constantly told that climate change is a “threat” or a “crisis.” We’re told we have 10 or 12 years to live — even though we were told that 10 or 12 years ago, too.
Yet on Tuesday, House Democrats failed to show up for their own scheduled hearing on the topic of climate change, so Republicans adjourned the meeting and left. The House Natural Resources subcommittee held a hearing titled “The Denial Playbook: How Industries Manipulate Science and Policy from Climate Change to Public Health,” but only two of the subcommittee’s five Democrats showed up. After opening statements, Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) moved to adjourn. Since all four Republican subcommittee members were present, they were able to out-vote the two Democrats.
Gohmert said the topic fell outside the subcommittee’s jurisdiction and should have been held by the Energy and Commerce Committee or the Science, Space and Technology Committee.
“This is now, though, the seventh oversight hearing related to climate change that the majority is holding this month,” Gohmert said at the hearing. “It appears today’s hearing topic is well outside our jurisdiction.”
Topics for Tuesday’s hearing, according to Gohmert, included “football, concussions, opioid addiction, [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] and epidemiology,” which should be covered by other committees.
“The subcommittee hearing’s witnesses included former NFL player Chris Borland, Ryan Hampton, a former opioid addict who has been in recovery for the past 10 years and founded the Voices Project, Alexandria Precup, a woman who was displaced by Hurricane Maria, and former Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health David Michaels,” CNN reported.
Because the hearing was adjourned, Republicans left and dismissed the official congressional reporter. The two Democrats remained in the room and let the witnesses speak as the hearing continued to be broadcast online.
Nate Madden, a congressional correspondent at Blaze Media, reported on the adjournment and posted video of Gohmert’s comments to Twitter.
“House Democrats scheduled a subcommittee hearing on climate change. Not enough of them showed up to outvote the Republicans,” Madden tweeted.