Congressman Lieu Statement of Support for President Obama's Clean Power Plan

Statement

Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D | Los Angeles) issued the following statement of support for President Obama's Clean Power Plan (CPP). The CPP would place the first ever limits on carbon pollution from our nation's power sector; the reductions from the CPP are also critical to meeting the U.S. emission reduction target of 26-28% by 2025, which is the foundation of the U.S. contribution to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change negotiations that are being held in Paris in December. The CPP could be released by the Environmental Protection Agency as early as Monday.

"I stand in strong support of President Obama's Clean Power Plan. Every day we hear disturbing new facts about the state of our planet -- 2014 was the hottest year on record, atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide surpassed 400 parts per million for a whole month for the first time in at least 800,000 years, etc. My state of California is facing one of its most severe droughts in history. Already, this past June was the hottest recorded June.

"Now is the time for bold reductions in carbon pollution. Close to 44 percent of the nation lives in close proximity to dangerous pollution, making every breath a risk. Unsurprisingly, the asthma rate in Americans has more than doubled in the past thirty years. Yesterday, the Department of Defense issued a new report to Congress emphasizing the dangerous consequences for America's national security due to climate change.

"We must act together to support the Clean Power Plan, and House Republicans should stop their endless attacks against it. History books will one day say that America led the way on addressing climate change and saving our planet -- or there will be no history books. I applaud President Obama's leadership on this issue, and I look forward to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) releasing the final rule soon."

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