Providing for Consideration of H. Con. Res. Expressing the Sense of Congress That A Carbon Tax Would Be Detrimental to the United States Economy

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the rule. I want to return to the fact that it is a scientific fact that climate change is occurring and that human activity is the primary cause of that change.

Its destructive physical and economic effects are already being felt throughout the United States and, in fact, throughout the world. This resolution simply denies that reality.

Entire American towns are beginning to be displaced due to sea level rise, and desperate attempts to save these communities through costly infrastructure projects are costing American taxpayers millions of dollars a year.

In my home State of California, wildfire seasons are becoming longer. Actually, it is not a season. It is now year-round. They are stronger, they are more destructive, and they are costing, thereto, American taxpayers millions of dollars each year.

Yet despite these rising costs, rather than working on a solution towards this pressing problem, House Republicans have put forth a resolution that denies that climate change is a costly problem and that we are passing it on to our kids and our grandkids. They put forth a resolution that attempts to shut the door on any conversation about policies that can both promote economic growth and at the same time curb harmful pollution and protect the planet.

Mr. Speaker, let's deal with reality rather than denying reality. The Safe Climate Caucus members have been calling for real conversations on the causes, impacts, and solutions of climate change for years.

Instead of proposing ways to reduce carbon pollution or allowing constructive congressional dialogue on how to avoid costly climate damages, the Republican majority continues to refuse to even have this conversation about how to address one of the greatest threats to human survival on this planet. We have not seen any serious solutions put forth by Republicans in Congress in nearly a decade.

Mr. Speaker, this resolution is a waste of time, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source