U.S. Senator Mike Lee of Utah, along with Senators Ted Cruz, Marsha Blackburn, and Eric Schmitt, sent a letter on April 15 to Judge Robin Rosenberg, Director of the Federal Judicial Center (FJC), raising concerns about the FJC’s Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence. The senators said the manual promotes a politicized climate agenda and fails to meet standards for neutrality in judicial resources.
The issue centers on a chapter about climate science that was included in the manual but later withdrawn without explanation. The senators’ letter questions how the FJC ensures its educational materials remain neutral and scientifically rigorous when circulated among federal judges and staff.
“Instead of serving as a neutral and objective resource for federal judges and staff, it read as if it were a plaintiff brief in a climate lawfare suit,” Lee and his colleagues wrote in their letter. They said the chapter presented disputed scientific claims as settled facts without acknowledging differing models or opinions within climate science. The letter also raises concerns about sources used in the chapter, stating some do not support its assertions or are misleading.
The senators outlined several questions for Judge Rosenberg regarding how neutrality is maintained in FJC programming, what criteria are used to select contributors or experts, what safeguards ensure empirical rigor, transparency practices around educational content, internal review procedures before publication, reasons behind removing the chapter from print but not online versions published by other organizations, and more.
Lee has championed constitutional principles and individual liberty during his time as senator according to the official website. He grew up in Provo as a fourth-generation Utahn and is known for promoting limited government and free markets according to his official biography. He holds degrees from Brigham Young University including both bachelor’s and Juris Doctor degrees according to official records.
According to his official website, Lee serves on committees focused on constitutional issues and previously clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., reflecting his background in law and public service.
The senators concluded their letter by saying they are prepared “to provide further details or engage in constructive dialogue to ensure that judicial education remains principled, evidence-based, and faithful to its constitutional responsibilities.”
