Democratic senators intend to occupy the Senate floor from Monday night at 10 P.M. ET through Tuesday morning at 9 A.M., taking turns speaking to urge action on climate change.
The event, organized by Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI), features 28 Senate Democrats, including the top four leaders and members of the Senate Climate Action Task Force.
“Climate change is real, it is caused by humans, and it is solvable,” Schatz said. “Congress must act.”
Legislative action on climate change has been seen as a lost cause since Republicans won the House majority in the 2010 elections. In 2009, the Democratic-led House passed a sweeping climate bill but the Democratic-led Senate took no action. As a result, President Barack Obama has sought to address the issue via executive actions where he can. The scientific community overwhelmingly believes climate change is being exacerbated by human activities like burning fossil fuels.
The talk-a-thon won’t disrupt any Senate business as the chamber would probably not be in session during that time. They intend to broadcast their efforts on social media with the hashtag #Up4Climate.
Below are the full list of senators expected to participate:
Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.
Senator Dick Durbin, D-Ill.
Senator Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.
Senator Patty Murray, D-Wash.
Senator Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I.
Senator Barbara Boxer, D-Calif.
Senator Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.
Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore.
Senator Bill Nelson, D-Fla.
Senator Maria Cantwell, D-Wash.
Senator Benjamin L. Cardin, D-Md.
Senator Bernard Sanders, I-Vt.
Senator Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.
Senator Mark Udall, D-Colo.
Senator Tom Udall, D-N.M.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.
Senator Jeff Merkley, D-Ore.
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y.
Senator Al Franken, D-Minn.
Senator Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.
Senator Chris Murphy, D-Conn.
Senator Martin Heinrich, D-N.M.
Senator Angus King, I-Maine
Senator Tim Kaine, D-Va.
Senator Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.
Senator Edward J. Markey, D-Mass.
Senator Cory Booker, D-N.J.
