Three lawmakers recently forwarded correspondence to the Department of Defense (DOD), requesting climate change report regions and impacts on national security.
Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI), House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith (D-WA) and Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA) have urged Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan to enact the revisions, citing the report failed to meet the basic requirements laid out in statute.
“The Defense Department’s initial report does not adhere to the requirements plainly spelled out in my amendment and it does not reflect the magnitude of the threat that climate change poses to our military bases around the globe,” Langevin said. “The Pentagon must complete the necessary analysis to meet the parameters set forth in law. It is incumbent upon the Department and Congress to ensure we are properly preparing for a warming planet and the report issued earlier this month falls well short of what is required to responsibly address the issue, protect our national security and ensure military readiness.”
The assessment is required by Langevin’s amendment to the FY 2018 National Defense Authorization Act, which was included in the final conference report at the request of Smith.
“In 2017, House Democrats successfully required the Department of Defense to report on the impact that climate change will have on U.S. military installations,” Smith said. “The Trump administration has now released that report and, unfortunately, it is inadequate. It demonstrates a continued unwillingness to seriously recognize and address the threat that climate change poses to our national security and military readiness,” said Chairman Smith. “It fails to even minimally discuss a mitigation plan to address the vulnerabilities. The Department of Defense presented no specifics on what is required to ensure operational viability and mission resiliency.”