[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 25 (Friday, February 15, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E169]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      THE THREAT OF CLIMATE CHANGE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JOHN CONYERS, JR.

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, February 15, 2013

  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to one of 
the single most important environmental crises facing our Nation and 
the global family: the threat of global warming. This past Tuesday, 
President Obama spoke in this chamber about the necessity of addressing 
global warming in order to avoid imminent, disastrous consequences.
  The science of global warming is clear and empirical: the earth's 
atmosphere is getting warmer, due to an increase in carbon emissions 
from burning fossil fuels.
  As a result, we are experiencing more violent and turbulent storms, 
longer drought seasons, and dangerous and costly wild fires in our 
nation's wooded areas and forests. Now is not the time to debate 
whether global warming is real or not, but to begin bringing together 
elected officials, the scientific, business, environmental, and NGO 
communities to come up with a comprehensive and sustainable clean 
energy road map for America.
  I strongly agree with President Obama that Congress must take 
immediate action to address climate change. America is one of the most 
technologically advanced, innovative, and wealthiest nations in the 
history of the world. We already have the scientific expertise and 
resources needed to reduce our carbon emissions and quickly transition 
to clean sources of energy that can power our homes, factories, and 
automobiles.
  The good news is that by quickly transitioning away from fossil fuels 
towards renewable sources of energy, we can create scores of new good 
paying jobs, while at the same time, reducing the threat of climate 
change--before it is too late.
  There were those who once said that we couldn't increase the fuel 
efficiency of our vehicles--but we did. They said we couldn't reduce 
our dependence on coal--but we did. When I was just a child, there were 
those who said that our nation could not build the Hoover Dam and 
provide power to millions in the Southwest--but we did. The cries of 
impossibility are nothing new; I have heard them my whole life. They 
are just as misguided now, as they were then.
  The Earth is getting warmer. Our best scientists having been telling 
us for decades that we need to address the problem, but we have not 
paid sufficient attention to them. We are literally at a do or die 
moment in our history. We've taken important steps to address climate 
change, but they aren't nearly enough, given the catastrophic 
implications of continued foot dragging.
  America cannot afford storms like Hurricane Katrina or a Hurricane 
Sandy every year. Our farmers and our family tables cannot afford 
droughts year after year. Our children and grandchildren cannot afford 
a New York City flooded by higher sea levels, or a breadbasket that is 
too scorched to feed the country, or more frequent heat waves that 
place thousands of low-income and elderly persons in peril.
  We must act now to speed up the transition to renewable resources, 
reduce carbon pollution, and usher in a new era of technological 
development. Remember--our automotive industry was on the brink of 
collapse. Yet, thanks to timely government investment and the efforts 
of our greatest asset--the American worker--we are now manufacturing 
the best cars in history.
  We need to address our transportation concerns in an environmentally 
friendly way. There should be more electrically augmented automobiles 
filling America's garages and our roads. We need more Chevy Volts and 
Ford Energi's coming off the assembly lines in Michigan and other 
states. Auto emissions need to be even lower. We must invest in clean 
public transportation systems, such as light rail and electric bus 
transportation. America can, and should, be the envy of clean energy 
enthusiasts around the world.
  We need to modernize our power grid to leverage wind and solar. Our 
rivers and tides are resources that we need to utilize. By creating 
clean energy through these technologies, we can ensure a stable future 
for our nation. We will ensure that our rivers are full, not dry. We 
will preserve thousands of miles of coastlines for our next generation. 
We will keep our farms green, our supermarkets well-stocked, and our 
families well-fed.
  I encourage my fellow members to heed the President's call to action 
and pass bipartisan reforms that will lead to a future safe from the 
climate calamities.

                          ____________________