WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, today responded to the Bush Administration’s veto threat against H.R. 1585, the House Defense Authorization bill. In issuing its Statement of Administration Policy opposing the bill, the Bush Administration highlighted its opposition to a provision requiring the Defense Department to include consideration of the impacts of global warming in the Department’s long-term risk analyses. The Administration’s veto threat document states that the provision, which is based on H.R. 1961, the Markey-Bartlett Global Climate Change Security Oversight Act, would establish “a harmful precedent.”

“Just last month, eleven senior retired three- and four-star Admirals and Generals released a report calling for global warming to be fully integrated into military and defense planning. Since the President has repeatedly ignored the advice of senior military officials in his disastrous war in Iraq, it’s no surprise that he thinks it would be a “harmful precedent” to follow their advice about global warming now. Fortunately for the country, the Armed Services Committee and the House recognize that global warming is a threat which we must integrate into our defense planning,” said Rep. Markey.

The provision in the House Defense Authorization bill, H.R. 1585, requires the next National Security Strategy, National Defense Strategy and Quadrennial Defense Review to include consideration of the risks posed by global warming to current and future Department of Defense facilities, capabilities, and missions. No challenge was raised to this provision either in Committee or Floor debate.

This afternoon the White House issued a “Statement of Administration Position” on H.R. 1585 including veto threats against the bill and specifically stating the Administration’s opposition to the global warming language. The full document can be found here.