Science, State, Justice, Commerce, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2007

SCIENCE, STATE, JUSTICE, COMMERCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2007

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Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank the gentleman for yielding and for drawing attention to the important issue of climate change.

Last week, the National Academy of Sciences concluded that ``the last few decades of the 20th century were warmer than any comparable period in the last 400 years.''

We can no longer ignore the fact that human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, have increased carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases and contributed to changes in the Earth's climate.

The Pallone amendment recognizes that climate change threatens our coastal communities. In States like Rhode Island, which has about 400 miles of coastline and a significant portion of the population lives along the coast, the impact of rising sea levels would be downright disastrous. Beach erosion would lead to greater flooding and endanger our tourism-based economy, while the destruction of wetlands would eradicate wildlife habitat and reduce the natural buffer against storm surges.

Mr. Chairman, global warming threatens to have a devastating impact on our Nation's environment and economy, and Congress must take swift action. We can start by funding important research into climate change impacts on our communities. And I urge my colleagues to support the Pallone amendment.

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