The Senate on Thursday debated whether global warming is a real, man-made threat to the planet on the same day the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists moved its “Doomsday Clock” ahead two minutes. The bulletin said Earth is now closer to human-caused doomsday than it has been in more than 30 years because of global warming and nuclear weapons. Only last week, scientists at two United States government agencies – NASA and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration – separately reported that 2014 was the hottest year on record.

The amendment by Sen. Bernie Sanders would put the Senate on record acknowledging the scientific consensus that global warming is happening, is cause by humans, is a threat to the planet and that time is running out to stop burning the fossil fuels scientists blame for worldwide climate change.

“On this issue, the scientists have been virtually unanimous in saying that climate change is real, it is caused by human activity, that it is already causing devastating problems in the United States and around the world and that it is imperative that we  transform our energy system away from fossil fuel,” Sanders said in a floor speech. “Do members of Congress believe the scientists or not?” the senator asked.