Experts Mock MTG's Controversial Weather Bill
In a Saturday morning post on X, formerly Twitter, the far-right Republican announced that she was introducing a bill that prohibits 'the injection, release, or dispersion of chemicals or substances into the atmosphere for the express purpose of altering weather, temperature, climate, or sunlight intensity.'
I am introducing a bill that prohibits the injection, release, or dispersion of chemicals or substances into the atmosphere for the express purpose of altering weather, temperature, climate, or sunlight intensity. It will be a felony offense.
I have been researching weather…
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) July 5, 2025
@RepMTG / Via x.com
'It will be a felony offense,' she said. 'I have been researching weather modification and working with the legislative counsel for months writing this bill,' the legislator continued, adding that the legislation will be similar to Florida's Senate Bill 56.
'We must end the dangerous and deadly practice of weather modification and geoengineering,' she concluded.
Though she didn't mention the tragedy directly, the post seemed to be a response to the horrific flash floods, which killed at least 66 people after sweeping through central Texas on Friday.
Conspiracy theorists have long claimed that the government or other shadowy organizations have been manipulating the weather by releasing chemicals in the air, leaving white streaks in the sky that they call chemtrails.
The Environmental Protection Agency has explained that the cloud-like lines are condensation trails left behind after hot exhaust from aircrafts collides with cold air at high altitudes.
More weather manipulation conspiracies have been fueled by the practice of cloud seeding, a way of triggering rain or snow by adding tiny particles into the air.
Meteorologist and journalist Matthew Cappucci tried to debunk misinformation online around cloud seeding before calling out Greene for her lack of knowledge.
In January, I teamed up with @VICENews to explain why cloud seeding is entirely unrelated to floods.
'Conspiracy theorists don't understand scale,' I explained.
That discussion is very relevant tonight. Cloud seeding is for a tiny cloud — not a 4,000,000,000,000 gallon flood. pic.twitter.com/R49jPmOSrN
— Matthew Cappucci (@MatthewCappucci) July 6, 2025
@MatthewCappucci / Via x.com
'It's not a political statement for me as a Harvard-degreed atmospheric scientist to say that elected representative Marjorie Taylor Green doesn't know what the hell she's talking about,' he wrote on X. 'She'd be equally qualified to fly a Boeing-737, practice nuclear medicine or train zebras.'
It's not a political statement for me as a Harvard-degreed atmospheric scientist to say that elected representative Marjorie Taylor Green doesn't know what the hell she's talking about.
She'd be equally qualified to fly a Boeing-737, practice nuclear medicine or train zebras. https://t.co/FQrj6FvXKE
— Matthew Cappucci (@MatthewCappucci) July 5, 2025
@MatthewCappucci / Via
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
a few seconds ago
- Boston Globe
August recess can't hide tensions ahead for Congress on spending and Trump nominations
Lawmakers will use much of September to work on spending bills for the coming budget year, which begins Oct. 1. They likely will need to pass a short-term spending measure to keep the government funded for a few weeks while they work on a longer-term measure that covers the full year. It's not unusual for leaders from both parties to blame the other party for a potential shutdown, but the rhetoric began extra early this year, signaling the threat of a stoppage is more serious than usual. Advertisement On Monday, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries sent their Republican counterparts a sharply-worded letter calling for a meeting to discuss 'the government funding deadline and the health care crisis you have visited upon the American people.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up They said it will take bipartisanship to avert a 'painful, unnecessary shutdown.' 'Yet it is clear that the Trump Administration and many in your party are preparing to go it alone and continue to legislate on a solely Republican basis,' said the letter sent to Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson. Republicans have taken note of the warnings and are portraying the Democrats as itching for a shutdown they hope to blame on the GOP. Advertisement 'It was disturbing to hear the Democrat leader threaten to shut down the government in his July 8 Dear Colleague letter,' Thune said on Saturday. '... I really hope that Democrats will not embrace that position but will continue to work with Republicans to fund the government.' Different approaches from the House and Senate So far, the House has approved two of the 12 annual spending bills, mostly along party lines. The Senate has passed three on a strongly bipartisan basis. The House is pursuing steep, non-defense spending cuts. The Senate is rejecting many of those cuts. One side will have to give. And any final bill will need some Democratic support to generate the 60 votes necessary to get a spending measure to the finish line. Some Democratic senators are also wanting assurances from Republicans that there won't be more efforts in the coming weeks to claw back or cancel funding already approved by Congress. 'If Republicans want to make a deal, then let's make a deal, but only if Republicans include an agreement they won't take back that deal a few weeks later,' said Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn., a veteran member of the House Appropriations committee, said the Democratic minority in both chambers has suffered so many legislative losses this year, 'that they are stuck between a rock and their voting base.' Democrats may want to demonstrate more resistance to Trump, but they would rue a shutdown, he warned. 'The reality would be, if the government were shut down, the administration, Donald Trump, would have the ability to decide where to spend and not spend,' Fleischmann said. 'Schumer knows that, Jeffries knows that. We know that. I think it would be much more productive if we start talking about a short-term (continuing resolution.)' Advertisement Republican angry about pace of nominations Republicans are considering changes to Senate rules to get more of Trump's nominees confirmed. Thune said last week that during the same point in Joe Biden's presidency, 49 of his 121 civilians nominees had been confirmed on an expedited basis through a voice vote or a unanimous consent request. Trump has had none of his civilian nominees confirmed on an expedited basis. Democrats have insisted on roll call votes for all of them, a lengthy process than can take days. 'I think they're desperately in need of change,' Thune said of Senate rules for considering nominees. 'I think that the last six months have demonstrated that this process, nominations is broken. And so I expect there will be some good robust conversations about that.' Schumer said a rules change would be a 'huge mistake,' especially as Senate Republicans will need Democratic votes to pass spending bills and other legislation moving forward. The Senate held a rare weekend session as Republicans worked to get more of Trump's nominees confirmed. Negotiations focused on advancing dozens of additional Trump nominees in exchange for some concessions on releasing some already approved spending. At times, lawmakers spoke of progress on a potential deal. But it was clear that there would be no agreement when Trump attacked Schumer on social media Saturday evening and told Republicans to pack it up and go home. 'Tell Schumer, who is under tremendous political pressure from within his own party, the Radical Left Lunatics, to GO TO HELL!' Trump posted on Truth Social. Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick and Joey Cappelletti contributed to this report. Advertisement
The Hill
a few seconds ago
- The Hill
Grassley places holds on three Trump Treasury nominees
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is placing a hold on three of President Trump's nominees to the Treasury Department over forthcoming administration rules that are expected to hamper tax credits for wind and solar energy. Grassley, who recently engaged in a heated back-and-forth with Trump over the handling of judicial picks, announced his move to place the holds in the congressional record on Friday. 'Today, I placed a hold on three Department of the Treasury nominees,' he said in the record, specifically naming Trump's picks for the department's general counsel, assistant secretary and undersecretary. The Iowa Republican added that while the 'big, beautiful, bill' recently passed by Congress allowed for wind and solar companies to continue to get tax credits if they begin construction of their projects in the next year, the Treasury Department 'is expected to issue rules and regulations implementing the agreed upon phase-out of the wind and solar credits by August 18, 2025.' 'Until I can be certain that such rules and regulations adhere to the law and congressional intent, I intend to continue to object to the consideration of these Treasury nominees,' Grassley said. Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah), is also placing a hold on the same nominees — Brian Morrissey Jr., Francis Brooke and Jonathan McKernan — for the same reason, a source familiar told The Hill. It's not entirely clear whether these holds will actually have a significant impact on the nominations. Typically, they can slow the process of confirming a nominee, requiring the chamber to spend hours debating and taking additional votes for each nominee without ultimately blocking them. With a handful of nominees, holds are more of an annoyance, though in some cases — like when in 2023 Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) put holds on hundreds of military promotions — they have successfully delayed nominations for a significant period. It's unusual, though not unheard of, for lawmakers of the same party to place holds on the president's nominees. Grassley's decision was first reported Monday by C-SPAN'S Craig Caplan. Curtis's move was first reported by Politico. The hold comes amid a larger spat between Grassley and Trump after president told the senator last week to ax the Judiciary Committee's 'blue slip' tradition of allowing home-state senators to veto nominees to district courts and U.S. attorneys' offices. Trump reposted comments that accused Grassley of being 'sneaky' and a 'RINO,' an acronym for Republican In Name Only. 'I was offended by what the president said, and I'm disappointed it would result in personal insults,' Grassley said in response. Trump, meanwhile, has expressed frustration at the pace of the Senate's confirmation of his nominees, saying lawmakers should stay in Washington to confirm more people ahead of their yearly August recess. How rapidly to phase out energy tax credits was a major sticking point among Republican lawmakers as they put Trump's megabill together. The bill provisions that Curtis helped to secure allowing wind and solar projects to get the full value of a lucrative tax credit if they start construction within 12 months of its passage. After the bill was passed Trump signed an executive order that directed the Treasury to take a strict approach to limit which projects are eligible. The administration has been particularly hostile to wind and solar and broadly supportive of other energy sources, including oil, gas, coal and nuclear.
Axios
a few seconds ago
- Axios
Texas Democrats have busted quorum for 155 years
The walkout by Texas Democrats is the latest in a 155-year tradition of quorum-busting protest, though such methods have stalled, but rarely stopped, major legislation. Why it matters: All eyes are on Democratic lawmakers Monday as they face a 3pm deadline to return to Texas or face expulsion, though attorneys say the threats of removal are largely empty. Catch up quick: More than 50 Texas Democrats are camping out in Illinois, Massachusetts and New York, denying Republicans the numbers they need to advance their redistricting process in the state's special legislative session. Flashback: In June 1870, 13 Texas Senate Democrats walked out to block legislation granting the governor sweeping wartime powers. The "Rump Senate" standoff set a precedent, though the bill passed anyway. Texas lawmakers have broken quorum at least four times in modern history: 1979: 12 Democrats, dubbed the "Killer Bees," hid in a garage for four days to block legislation changing the Texas presidential primary date to favor former Gov. John Connally. Republicans dropped the bill, making it one of the few walkouts that worked. Spring 2003: 51 House Democrats fled to Oklahoma to stall a Republican-led redistricting plan. It delayed but ultimately did not stop the legislation. Summer 2003: 11 Senate Democrats, known as the "Texas Eleven," stayed in New Mexico for over a month to protest the same redistricting effort. They stayed until one senator returned, reestablishing quorum. 2021: More than 50 House Democrats flew to Washington D.C. to protest Republican-backed voting restrictions. They lasted six weeks and drew national attention, but could not block the law from passing. What they're saying: "It's a messaging move," Brandon Rottinghaus, political science professor at the University of Houston, told the Texas Tribune.
