Former US Sen. Jim Inhofe, a former chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee and prominent climate change denier, has passed away, as announced by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday.
Inhofe, 89, had served in the US Senate since 1994 until his retirement in 2023.
“The people he served, a group much larger than the proud residents of the Sooner State, were better for it,” McConnell stated. “Jim’s diligent stewardship of massive infrastructure projects transformed life across the Heartland. His relentless advocacy for American energy dominance unlocked new prosperity across the country. And his laser focus on growing and modernizing the US military strengthened the security of the entire free world.”
Known as a defense hawk, Inhofe also held the position as the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee in his final years in office. Additionally, he was a former chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, where he faced criticism from environmentalists for his denial of climate change as a “hoax.” One incident that drew attention was when he brought a snowball onto the Senate floor to argue against climate change.
In February 2022, when Inhofe announced his retirement, he reflected on his 55-year political career that began after experiencing bureaucratic hurdles to obtain a dock permit, leading to his realization that change was needed for the government to work for the people.
Inhofe’s legacy has left a lasting impact on American politics.
