Climate Change and Hurricane Correlation and Strategy Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 7075 To prohibit the President from deploying any strategic weapon, such as a nuclear bomb, for purposes of altering weather patterns or addressing climate change, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JUNE 1, 2020 Ms. GARCIA of Texas introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on En- ergy and Commerce, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider- ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To prohibit the President from deploying any strategic weap- on, such as a nuclear bomb, for purposes of altering weather patterns or addressing climate change, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Climate Change and 4 Hurricane Correlation and Strategy Act’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 07:34 Jun 23, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7075.IH H7075 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 7075 IH SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 1 The Congress finds the following: 2 (1) According to reports dated August 24, 3 2019, President Trump suggested the use of nuclear 4 weapons to disrupt hurricane paths. Specifically, the 5 President stated, ‘‘I got it. I got it. Why don’t we 6 nuke them? They start forming off the coast of Afri- 7 ca, as they’re moving across the Atlantic, we drop a 8 bomb inside the eye of the hurricane and it disrupts 9 it. Why can’t we do that?’’. 10 (2) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad- 11 ministration (NOAA), the United States Govern- 12 ment agency that monitors and researches weather 13 patterns and changes, stated ‘‘During each hurri- 14 cane season, there always appear suggestions that 15 one should simply use nuclear weapons to try and 16 destroy the storms. Apart from the fact that this 17 might not even alter the storm, this approach ne- 18 glects the problem that the released radioactive fall- 19 out would fairly quickly move with the tradewinds to 20 affect land areas and cause devastating environ- 21 mental problems. Needless to say, this is not a good 22 idea.’’. 23 (3) Nuclear weapons are the most powerful 24 weapons known to mankind. A nuclear blast radius 25 carries exponentially damaging radioactive fallout, as 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 07:34 Jun 23, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7075.IH H7075 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 7075 IH demonstrated by atmospheric tests conducted by the 1 United States in the 1950s and 1960s in the Pacific 2 and Nevada Test Range. 3 (4) According to the Director of National Intel- 4 ligence and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 5 climate change remains a critical national security 6 threat. 7 (5) Researchers found that if little is done to 8 constrain greenhouse gas emissions, and the world 9 warms by 3 oC to 4 oC this century, then hurricane 10 rainfall could increase by a third, while wind speeds 11 would be boosted by as much as 25 knots. 12 (6) Stronger hurricanes are intensifying more 13 rapidly than they were 30 years ago due to climate 14 change, according to recent research. 15 (7) Increasing numbers of hurricanes are a 16 function of climate change and must be addressed 17 through serious and long-term solutions that include 18 scientific research and technological innovation. 19 (8) There is cause for concern to public health, 20 safety, and national security by the dangerous mis- 21 use of nuclear bombs to alter serious weather pat- 22 terns. 23 VerDate Sep 11 2014 07:34 Jun 23, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7075.IH H7075 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 7075 IH SEC. 3. PROHIBITION. 1 The Federal Government (including the President 2 and any Federal official, department, and agency) shall 3 not deploy a strategic weapon, such as a nuclear bomb, 4 for purposes of altering weather patterns or addressing 5 climate change. 6 SEC. 4. SCIENTIFIC REPORT AND STRATEGIC PLAN TO AD- 7 DRESS CLIMATE CHANGE AND HURRICANES. 8 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 9 date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 10 5 years, the President, in coordination with the Adminis- 11 trators of the Environmental Protection Agency and the 12 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, shall 13 issue a report to Congress on ways to combat increasing 14 hurricane activity due to warming oceans from climate 15 change. 16 (b) CONTENTS.—Each report submitted under sub- 17 section (a) shall— 18 (1) specify the number, names, and dates of the 19 hurricanes over the past 30 years; 20 (2) with respect to such hurricanes, include sci- 21 entific evidence and research regarding— 22 (A) fatalities and injuries; 23 (B) local, State, and Federal costs per hur- 24 ricane; and 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 07:34 Jun 23, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7075.IH H7075 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 7075 IH (C) frequency of occurrence and changes in 1 magnitude and intensity patterns; 2 (3) additional analysis of observations and 3 changes to human activity that cause climate change 4 and weather intensity; and 5 (4) the strategic plan addendum required by 6 subsection (d). 7 (c) EFFECT OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS.—The first re- 8 port submitted under subsection (a) shall include a one- 9 time scientific explanation and analysis on the use of nu- 10 clear bombs to alter severe weather, such as hurricanes, 11 including— 12 (1) the radioactive fallout; 13 (2) the potential public health and environ- 14 mental risks; and 15 (3) observations as to how such use would or 16 would not address the systemic issues and challenges 17 of hurricanes. 18 (d) STRATEGIC PLAN.—Each report submitted under 19 subsection (a) shall include a strategic plan addendum in- 20 cluding— 21 (1) 10-, 20-, and 30-year goals for— 22 (A) reducing greenhouse gas emissions, 23 pollution, and harmful human activity; and 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 07:34 Jun 23, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7075.IH H7075 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 6 •HR 7075 IH (B) addressing causes of climate change 1 and weather intensity; and 2 (2) recommendations to the Congress on policy 3 changes needed to combat hurricane and climate 4 change activity. 5 (e) CONSULTATION.—In preparing the report re- 6 quired by subsection (a), the Administrators of the Envi- 7 ronmental Protection Agency and National Oceanic and 8 Atmospheric Administration shall consult with relevant 9 public and private sector scientific experts. 10 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 07:34 Jun 23, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H7075.IH H7075 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS