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This summer has been a relentless reminder that climate change is our new, dangerous reality. Smoke from massive Canadian wildfires blanketed much of the Northeast and the Upper Midwest. Record-breaking heat has swept across the country, claiming lives and putting millions at risk. Families are struggling with soaring utility bills as air conditioners run overtime. Farmers are seeing lower crop yields, driving up already-high food prices, while warmer temperatures are increasing dangerous turbulence for air travelers.
Yet instead of confronting the crisis, Trump continues to undermine the nation's response. This week, he appointed Matthew Wielicki, a former geochemist who has railed against "climate alarmism" and lacks formal training in climate science, to oversee the National Climate Assessment. Appointing someone who condemns science-based facts to oversee the nation's premier report on the impacts of climate change in the U.S. endangers us all.
The consequences extend beyond the White House. According to the Center for American Progress, at least 119 members of Congress continue to deny the scientific consensus that human activity is driving climate change, and many have accepted millions of dollars in campaign contributions from the fossil fuel industry. The recently enacted budget law dismantled key clean-energy investments and expanded tax breaks for the oil industry.
That is why elections have consequences and why the Ohio Senate race matters.
Sherrod Brown is running to reclaim his seat from GOP Sen. John Husted. They each represent two very different approaches to climate and environmental policy. As Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, Sherrod Brown held the first hearing on the economic risks of climate change and has consistently supported investments in clean energy and environmental protections. In contrast, Husted has earned a 3 percent lifetime score from the League of Conservation Voters and has supported rolling back clean air protections, weakening emissions standards, and expanding oil and gas production.
Climate change should not be a partisan issue. It is a public health issue, an economic issue, and a moral responsibility. We need leaders who follow science rather than deny it and protect our air, land, and water rather than special interests. We must elect candidates like Sherrod Brown, who believe that protecting our climate is an investment in a healthier, safer, and more sustainable future for all Americans.
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