Issue Position: Environment

Issue Position

South Florida is blessed with a unique and beautiful natural environment, including our beaches and the national treasure of the Everglades, which are vital to our ecosystem and to the tourism that is essential to our local economy. For these reasons, proper environmental stewardship should be considered in every policy decision that our government makes.

Throughout my tenure in Congress, I have strongly advocated in favor of green environmental policies that will both help our economy and allow us to confront global climate change. The warming of our atmosphere is a national security issue, an economic issue, and a moral issue. As a global economic and political power, the United States has a responsibility to provide real leadership to reduce the threat of climate change. We must value and protect our environment. The BP oil spill in the Gulf has shown us the danger of offshore drilling, and I will continue to stand with Florida's Congressional leaders in opposition to efforts to open Florida's waters to oil drilling and protect Florida's vital coastline.

Clean air and water, and the development and use of clean energy sources, are essential to our economy and our future. As a Member of Congress, I have fought to protect the Everglades, and I understand that we must ensure that federal funding continues to implement the Everglades restoration plan.

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