Institute Founder To Testify Before House Subcommittee On Energy And Environment

WASHINGTON, DC, October 6, 1997 — Competitive Enterprise Institute announced today that its president and founder, Fred L. Smith, Jr. will testify before the House Subcommittee on Energy and Environment. The Committee is holding the hearing in order to examine global warming policies and the impact on the American Economy.

CEI has been involved in the global warming debate for many years. Despite President Clinton’s assertion, there is no scientific consensus on global warming. Mr. Smith and CEI work to educate the American people about the truth about global warming.

During the last six months, CEI has held an all day conference, a half-day Hill briefing, and has published scores of op-eds and letters regarding global warming. CEI is a member of the Cooler Heads Coalition, a group dedicated to spreading the truth about the uncertainty surrounding global warming. In addition, Mr. Smith and others at CEI have made numerous appearances on TV and radio to discuss this issue.

“Whether the future will be warmer or colder, wetter or drier, stormier or more tranquil, some risks will increase and others will decline. Hampering the ability of private markets to respond to changing conditions serves no bona fide public interest. Indeed, it can be destructive,” commented Smith. “Since we cannot be sure which risks will prove dominant, we ought to improve our generic ability to survive and recover from whatever shocks and surprises the future may hold.”

The hearing will be held in 2318 Rayburn House Office Building at 10:00am. For more information, or to obtain a copy of Mr. Smith’s testimony, please contact Emily McGee at (202) 331-1010. CEI is a non-profit, non-partisan public policy group dedicated to free markets and limited government.