100th Annivesary of the American Meteorological Society

Floor Speech

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Mr. MARKEY. Mr. President, this month we recognize the 100th anniversary of the founding of the American Meteorological Society, AMS, which spent the last century advancing the atmospheric and related sciences. The work of AMS contributed to technologies and services that expand our understanding of the world and the risks associated with our water, weather, and climate.

AMS was founded in 1919 in Milton, MA, to advance, promote, and disseminate information about these important sciences. The society now has over 13,000 members, including researchers, educators, students, enthusiasts, broadcasters, and other professionals in weather, water, and climate. Its rigorously peer-reviewed scientific publications and scientific conferences have contributed to knowledge growth across the geosciences, especially in the prediction of environmental phenomena that has led to lifesaving services. AMS also offers nationally recognized certifications that serve the public's need to identify broadcast and consulting meteorologists who have achieved a high level of competency in communicating complex weather, water, and climate information.

AMS has been a leader in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the science, technology, engineering, and math STEM fields. Its activities in support of STEM education and development activities for K-12 teachers have positively impacted millions of students nationwide. Its leadership in education also brings AMS to the Halls of Congress, where the society supports congressional fellows, research studies on environmental policy, and policy briefings to ensure that policies are developed using the best available knowledge and understanding.

AMS has also been crucial in developing the extensive scientific evidence of manmade climate change and has helped us understand the threat it poses to society if we do not act. AMS has been an international leader in providing peer-reviewed information to support evidence-based decision making related to climate change. Congress owes a debt of gratitude to AMS for its advocacy and education on this global threat.

With the scope and size of the challenge that climate change presents, Congress and the American people will undoubtedly depend on another successful century of leadership and scientific advancements from the American Meteorological Society. We congratulate and thank AMS for its century-long effort to understand the natural world, and we pledge our continued support to the important sciences AMS aims to advance.

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