Inhofe points to record cold in denouncing climate change

Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla) said Monday night that climate change isn’t real and recent cold weather across the country proves that.

“Tonight for all night long, you can say ‘[climate change] is real, it’s real, it’s real,’ but people have heard that before,” Inhofe said on the Senate floor. “We’ve gone through some cold spells that are shocking and setting records.”

{mosads}Sens. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) are leading an all-night Senate session to discuss the importance of climate change. More than 20 other Democrats participated right off the bat, including members of leadership. They are expected to speak well into Tuesday morning.

Winter weather has been extreme in the Northeast and Midwest this year and several snowstorms have shutdown lawmaker’s work.

Schatz said even a “child” could distinguish between climate and weather.

“Weather is what will happen tomorrow,” Schatz said. “Climate is what happens over time.”

Inhofe has authored a book claiming that climate change was the biggest “hoax” ever perpetrated on mankind.

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) said Inhofe was a “a dangerous denier.”

She also said scientists who believe climate change is real also predicted extreme cold weather.

“I don’t understand how my colleagues can continue to deny climate change,” Boxer said. “Look out the window.”