Where Do Your Members of Congress Stand on Climate Change?

For far too long, elected officials have been able to sweep their extreme anti-science positions under the rug hoping their constituents won't notice. But the effects of climate change are harder than ever to ignore, and the American people are tired of leaders in Washington ignoring facts and standing in the way of action. It's time we call them out on their extreme views.

That's why we're devoting this month to holding members of Congress accountable for their extreme views while they're home in their districts during the August recess. We're joining in a nationwide Day of Action on Aug. 13 to shine a light on their denial of basic science and push for action on climate.

While members of Congress are in their districts during the August recess, LCV state leagues across the country will be heading to their offices and holding local events showing just how out-of-step they are on the issue of climate. We're also encouraging constituents to call their members of Congress to see where they stand and get their views on climate change on the record.

Climate change denial runs deep in Congress. Though NASA and 97 percent of climate scientists all agree that climate change is real and humans are contributing to it, extreme Republican leaders in the House of Representatives think otherwise.

Speaker John Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor still deny basic science and the very idea that carbon pollution is damaging our health and our planet. Speaker Boehner has claimed that we don't know "what has initiated" changes in the climate, and Majority Leader Cantor has similarly questioned if humans play any role in our warming climate. It's no wonder that under their leadership, the House has become the worst House of Representatives ever on environmental issues.

Unfortunately, they're just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to climate change deniers in Congress. But the American people know climate change is no laughing matter. They're seeing the effects right outside their window like never before, in the form of historic heat waves, droughts and wildfires. And voters -- especially youth voters -- know their future is at stake and are ready to hold climate change deniers accountable.

There's a reason why youth voters in our recent poll called climate change deniers "ignorant" and "out of touch," and said these extreme views will have a big impact when they head to the ballot box. It's because they can see through their spin and know that many of these members of Congress are denying the science because they're receiving millions of dollars from Big Oil, an industry that fights against efforts to address climate change in order to protect their record profits.

We can't count on members of Congress to fix a problem if they don't even admit it exists. That's why constituents nationwide should use this August to see where their members of Congress stand on climate and hold anti-science politicians accountable. It's time to demand climate change deniers stop putting the needs of their polluter campaign contributors ahead of basic science.