Congressional Hearing: Foundation for Climate Science

Update: More hearing details at Climate Science Watch.

Original post:
The House Select Energy Independence and Global Warming held a hearing yesterday (May 6) on the "Foundation for Climate Science". The committee majority invited 4 scientists to testify:

• Dr. Lisa Graumlich, Director, School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, and member of the “Oxburgh Inquiry” panel
• Dr. Chris Field, Director, Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution of Washington, and co-chair of “Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability” portion of new IPCC report due in 2014
• Dr. James McCarthy, Professor of Biological Oceanography, Harvard University, past President and Chair of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, co-chair of “Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability” portion of IPCC report published in 2001
• Dr. James Hurrell, Senior Scientist, National Center for Atmospheric Research, contributor to IPCC reports

The minority invited the Discount Viscount, Lord Monckton of Brenchley.

The witnesses were requested to address 3 questions:

1. What are the observed changes to the climate system?
2. What evidence provides attribution of these changes to human activities?
3. What are the observed and anticipated impacts of climate change in the United States and throughout the world?

The highlight of the hearing: Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA) takes apart the Discount Viscount, beginning at about 1:10:35.

Rep. Inslee: And I would note that there's a dispute about whether we actually landed on the moon, and there is a dispute about whether the earth is round, and there is a dispute about gravity in some places. But there's no . . .
Monckton: [Interrupting] Not from me sir.
Rep. Inslee: We'll get to you, "Lord" Monckton, shortly. . .

After discussing real science with the actual scientists, Inslee quizzes Monckton on his false representation as a member of the House of Lords and his utter lack of scientific qualifications.