Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) left a top Biden administration official stumbling on Wednesday when he asked how spending trillions of dollars on the green agenda will help the environment.
At a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, Kennedy asked Deputy Energy Secretary David Turk how much taxpayer money is required to achieve President Joe Biden’s climate goal of carbon neutrality.
Turk advised Kennedy that the United States needs to reach that goal by 2050. But when asked how much that plan will cost, Turk couldn’t answer, other than admitting, “It will cost trillions of dollars.” When pressed for an exact figure, Turk couldn’t provide one, nor was he able to provide various estimates that he has seen.
Turk argued that not achieving carbon neutrality will cost even more than the green investments themselves. But when Kennedy pressed him for the difference, Turk couldn’t provide one. Kennedy pointed out that Americans can’t believe his argument if the government can’t provide an actual estimates of savings.
Kennedy then turned to a different topic: How many degrees will Earth’s temperature decrease by achieving carbon neutrality?
“If you could answer my question: If we spend $50 trillion to become carbon neutral in the United States of America by 2050 — you’re the deputy secretary of Energy — give me your estimate of how much that is going to reduce world temperature,” Kennedy pressed.
“So first of all it’s a net cost, it’s what benefits we’re having from getting our act together and reducing all of those climate benefits, we’re seeing—” Turk responded.
But Kennedy did not have patience for Turk’s obfuscation. He interjected, asking his question again, but he was not successful. At no point did Turk explain the benefits of carbon neutrality.
“You don’t know do you?” Kennedy shot back. “You don’t know do ya, Mr. Secretary?”
Turk then instructed Kennedy that he can “do the math,” arguing the U.S. is responsible for “13% of global emissions,” therefore if the U.S. achieved “0 that would be a 13% less pollution.”
But Kennedy had finally had enough.
“You just want us to spend $50 trillion and you don’t have the slightest idea whether it’s going to reduce world temperatures,” he scolded Turk. “Now I’m all for carbon neutrality, but you’re the deputy secretary of the Department of Energy and you’re advocating we spend trillions of dollars to seek carbon neutrality — and this isn’t your money or my money, it’s taxpayer money — and you can’t tell me how much it’s going to lower world temperatures? Or you won’t tell me? You know, but you won’t?”
Turk responded that he believes “in my heart of hearts” that “there is no way the world gets its act together on climate change unless the U.S. leads.”
Kennedy questions Turk, Hruby in Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Waterwww.youtube.com
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