For immediate release: June 2, 2011

Homeland Security funds must be used to secure the nation, instead of studying questionable and duplicative climate change science, thanks to an amendment by Congressman John Carter (R-TX) to HR 2017, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2012.  The amendment passed today by a wide 242-180 margin.  

The amendment stripped funding of the department’s Climate Change Adaptation Task Force, which Carter pointed out is a waste of taxpayer resources, based on the tremendous amount of federal funds already being spent on the controversial issue by multiple federal agencies. 

“The Environmental Protection Agency has a budget of $8.6 billion and identifies climate change as their number one goal,” Carter said in debate.  “The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which among other things is charged with climate monitoring has a budget of $5.6 billion.” 

Carter said the nation’s crippling $14 trillion public debt demands DHS cease to duplicate activities already assigned to other agencies. 

The former Texas judge pointed out that the eroding security situation on the U.S. southern border, the continued threat of renewed attacks by Al Qaeda, and constant cyber-attacks from Russia and China leaves DHS no room to sacrifice scarce funds to placate environmental extremists instead of focusing on their mission of homeland security.