Climate Action Now Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. SPANBERGER. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 9, the Climate Action Now Act.

Back in 2003, 16 years ago, the Pentagon commissioned a report on how climate change would impact our ability to keep our country safe. Its conclusion? That we should move beyond scientific debate and treat ongoing ecological damage as a serious national security threat.

Our military and intelligence communities agree that climate change exacerbates conflict and instability. It weakens fragile governments, contributes to food and water insecurity, and perpetuates poverty.

These are threat multipliers, and they present real risk to U.S. interests around the globe, especially in areas vulnerable to extreme weather, such as the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa.

As a former CIA officer, I recognize that combating climate change is a national security imperative, and the first step in this fight is to keep our word to cooperate with our allies and partners in this battle. By staying in the Paris Agreement, we demonstrate that the United States takes our planet's fate seriously, keeps its word, and can be a steady partner in future agreements. Going forward, we must use our country's tremendous diplomatic, military, and economic strength as assets in this global fight.

Today, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation because our country cannot afford to abdicate its role of leadership.

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