Scientific theories are coherent explanations of observed facts, not guesses waiting to be elevated to the status of fact.

For example, one fact we humans know is that objects in a vacuum always fall (accelerate) at the same rate when we drop them.

Isaac Newton observed this fact and formulated his revolutionary Theory of Gravity to explain that fact and to predict the trajectories of celestial bodies.

Engineering students still study that theory, because it works. I used the theory at university to solve ballistics problems. I used it in the military to aim artillery shells. It worked every damn time. Cuz that's what theories do. They work very well to explain observed facts. Otherwise, they would be scrapped in favor of working explanations.

Newton's Theory of Gravity was never scrapped, but Albert Einstein noticed small discrepancies in the movement of objects in deep gravity wells, like the planet Mercury. Newton's theory could not explain those facts, so Einstein came up with his celebrated theory of relativity - which does explain them.

Anyone who uses GPS, meaning anyone who uses a mobile phone, relies on the fine-tunes predictions of Einstein's theory.

But despite how robust Einstein's and Newton's theories are, other discrepancies of fact might exist on cosmic scales. Physicists don't completely understand why the universe is expanding at the rate it is seen to expand. Many competiting explanations exist, with dark matter being the most popular and accepted.

Yet, physicists are constantly seeking new data to construct new theories that make accurate predictions about observed facts regarding that expansion.

The facts are what they are. Theories explain the facts and allow us to make accurate predictions.

This legislator is scientifically illiterate. But then, so are many Americans. We do a very poor job of teaching science in school, with all but the most advanced high school classes presenting science as a collection of facts rather than a process of explaining facts.