Congressman Lamar Smith

Representing the 21st District of Texas

Smith Responds to NOAA Delivery of Documents and Communications

Dec 16, 2015

Press Release

Washington, D.C. – Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) released the following statement today after receiving an initial production of documents and communications from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The documents partially fulfill NOAA’s obligation under a lawfully-issued Committee subpoena dated October 13, 2015.

Chairman Lamar Smith: “I am encouraged by NOAA’s acknowledgment of its obligation to produce documents and communications in response to the Committee’s lawfully-issued subpoena. I am also glad to see that NOAA has committed to produce additional items as they are identified. We will carefully review these documents and expect additional productions from NOAA.”

In a letter to the Committee, NOAA asserted that it is “continuing to search for additional documents that may be responsive to this request.”

In June, NOAA widely publicized a study as refuting the nearly two-decade pause in climate change. After three letters requesting all communications from the agency surrounding the role of political appointees in the agency’s scientific process, Chairman Smith issued a subpoena for the information. Smith subsequently sent a letter on December 1st offering to accept documents and communications from NOAA political, policy and non-scientific staff as a first step in satisfying the subpoena requirements.

Information provided to the Committee by whistleblowers appears to show that the study was rushed to publication despite the concerns and objections of a number of NOAA employees.