EPW Democrats Wear “Warming Stripes” Pin Ahead of President Trump’s State of the Union Address

Today, ahead of President Trump’s third State of the Union Address to Congress, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, joined Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) in sending the message that Americans undoubtedly will not hear from President Trump in his address to Congress. Senators Van Hollen, Carper, and Whitehouse are wearing a pin representing the “Warming Stripes” design developed by climate scientist Ed Hawkins, which visualizes the rise in temperature across the planet from 1850-2018.

“The daily effects of climate change – from flooding to severe storms to sea level rise – are becoming more and more present in the lives of Marylanders. These impacts have harmful repercussions for our communities and our economy. And as these local impacts continue to worsen, the threat to our global climate as a whole is becoming all the more dire. We must take meaningful action to address climate change now. That’s why, at tonight’s State of the Union address, I’ll be wearing a ‘warming stripes’ pin, representing the rising temperatures across the planet. While President Trump refuses to address this issue, we must continue to speak out and urge action,” said Senator Van Hollen.

“What Americans won’t hear from President Trump tonight is that 2019 was the second hottest year on record, and that the last five years were the hottest five years on this planet. We won’t hear why the president abdicated America’s global leadership, leaving empty seats at the table at the G7 climate meeting in France and at the UN climate conference in Spain. We won’t hear any of the president’s plans to protect millions of Americans from the wildfires, hurricanes and other extreme weather events that are only getting worse with every passing year. Without a doubt, what we won’t hear from President Trump in his State of the Union address tonight is any plan for this administration to comprehensively address climate change, the greatest threat to our planet,” Senator Carper said. “We are wearing these climate pins to send the message that Americans will not hear from President Trump tonight: Climate change is real. We need to act, and we need to act now.”

“The Trump administration has sold itself to the fossil fuel industry. Its corrupt handouts to massive polluting corporations will help to send us hurtling off the climate cliff,” said Senator Whitehouse. “These climate pins are a small reminder that we need to act now to avoid the worst of climate change. I’m proud to wear one.”