Climate Change

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, this morning, our friends in Europe claimed first place in the race against climate change. The European Union has laid out a plan to decarbonize Europe and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent at the end of this decade. It is an ambitious plan, and it is one that will, in the words of EU climate policy chief Frans Timmermans, ``give humanity a fighting chance.''

To our allies in Europe, I want to say: America stands with you in this effort, and we welcome the friendly competition to see who can move quickest to save our planet.

Earlier today, President Biden joined members of the Senate Democratic caucus to discuss our historic budget proposal that was unveiled last night. It is a proposal designed, first and foremost, to help working families and secondly--and not a distant second, right up with that--to secure our planet's future.

Climate change impacts every single one of us. It doesn't care about our borders or national identities. It does present an opportunity for us to lead the world in saving this planet, literally, for our kids and grandkids.

I am glad we have a President who understands this issue. The budget resolution we discussed with him today will pave the way for that to happen.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source