Congress Must Acknowledge Global Warming, Clinton Says

Calling last week’s heat wave the latest symptom of global warming, President Clinton accused Congress of negligence in not addressing the matter and ordered energy-saving measures in all federal buildings.

“Despite mounting evidence, [Congress] would deny the science and ignore the warning signs,” Clinton said Saturday in his weekly radio address. They would “rather pretend it doesn’t exist.”

“Rather than invest in a common-sense strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, they want to cut programs for energy efficiency and renewable energy--programs that long have enjoyed bipartisan support,” he said.

Clinton has asked Congress for $6.3 billion in research and tax incentives over the next five years to encourage the private sector to cooperate in improving energy efficiency, generating clean power and reducing greenhouse gases.

The president said El Nino, undoubtedly, is most directly to blame for this year’s most severe weather. “But growing evidence suggests that the extreme and erratic weather we’re seeing in America and around the world is being intensified by global warming.

“Consider this: 1997 was the warmest year on record, and 1998 is on track to break that record Five of the hottest years in history have all occurred in the 1990s. Scientists predict that July may be the hottest month since mankind began recording temperatures.”

Announcing steps meant as an example for private industry, the president directed federal agencies to work with private contractors to equip federal buildings “with the best energy-saving technology.”

Hundreds of thousands of light bulbs will be replaced with more efficient fluorescent lighting, he said. And the Defense Department and six other federal agencies will ensure that all new federal buildings are designed to cut energy use.