Issue Position: Environment

Issue Position

When I was little, family vacations generally involved piling into the car and driving to a National Park. I have fond memories of visits to Sequoia National Park, Saguaro National Park, Crater Lake and others. Preserving the environment is an important issue to me. I believe it is our generation's duty to preserve our natural resources and wonders for future generations.

I also believe that we can promote environmental responsibility with policies that are good for the economy and the environment.

Climate Change and Clean Energy

Climate change is one of the biggest challenges we face. It poses a dire threat to our economy, to national security and to the environment. Scientific consensus warns of intensifying weather events, food and water shortages and increasing global conflicts should we fail to take action. I will support policies aimed improving energy efficiency standards and increasing the use of renewable and clean energy sources. Not only would support for such policies reduce the risk of negative impacts of climate change, they would create well-paying jobs in the district and would reduce our economic vulnerability to foreign sources of energy.

California has been, and should continue to be, a leader in clean energy policies.

Fuel Efficiency and Clean Transportation

California has long been a leader in automobile efficiency standards, and I support President Obama's efforts to improve mileage standards in America's automobile fleet. Smart policies that incentivize automobile manufacturers to make, and consumers to buy, fuel efficient cars will ultimately save consumers at the pump, reduce smog and other particulate emissions and reduce the risks of climate change.

I will also support local and regional efforts to improve mass transit and reduce traffic, which will be good for the economy and the environment.

Electrical Grid Security

In 2013, Representative Waxman and Senator Markey released a report highlighting the vulnerability of our nation's electrical grid to cyberattacks and malicious hackers. Given the importance of electricity our economy and the interconnectedness of our electrical grid, we are extraordinarily vulnerable to attacks on the grid. As an expert on cybersecurity, I will bring valuable perspective to legislative efforts to address the vulnerabilities. We must push for stronger standards to keep our economy safe from cyber warfare.

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