The veteran Illinois Democrat opposes the Canada-to-Texas pipeline, which he says would devastate the climate by encouraging production carbon-intensive oil sands.

Rush and Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), the Energy and Commerce Committee’s top Democrat, have tried pushing Upton to hold hearings on climate science. The chairman and committee Republicans have rebuffed those efforts.

Rush said he would not relent in attempting to force the committee to address climate change.

“I’m on my way to a mark up … But I wanted to stop by here not just to get an award, but to get some new energy and to be refreshed,” Rush said, to applause. “We’ve got a relentless battle that’s going on in the U.S. House of Representatives, and we’ve got to shake that place up.”