OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Leading on Climate Change

Floor Speech

Date: May 2, 2019
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Environment

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. CASTEN of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise to praise this body for passing H.R. 9, the Climate Action Now Act, of which I am a proud cosponsor.

Climate change is the greatest existential threat to our species. It is also an unequivocal economic opportunity. Replacing the need to extract and burn fossil fuels with renewable and clean energy saves money.

This White House is failing to seize this domestic opportunity while simultaneously walking away from our international partners and competitors that are committed to this challenge.

Of all the misguided decisions of this administration, few have been as reckless as announcing our withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement. It is environmentally foolish; it is economically naive; and it cedes leadership to China and others on the defining challenge of our time. That is foolhardy.

H.R. 9 is a reclamation of that mantle. It is a demonstration that Americans are determined to lead, even if the White House is refusing to do so.

I am proud to be a part of this effort, not because it is enough, but because it is the kind of leadership into the breach that has long defined true American greatness.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT


Source
arrow_upward