[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 10 (Thursday, January 16, 2014)]
[House]
[Page H1230]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1215
SAFE CLIMATE CAUCUS
(Mr. POCAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. POCAN. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to be a part of the Safe Climate
Caucus and to speak on the urgent need to take action on climate
change.
The effects of climate change are undeniable, and their consequences
are unavoidable without action, which means action by Congress.
In my home State of Wisconsin, farmers could face more pests and
widespread disease from higher humidity and warmer winter temperatures.
Ice fishermen are already noticing fewer days they can be out on our
ice-covered lakes. By 2055, winters in Wisconsin are expected to be 7
to 9 degrees warmer, and by the middle of the century, extreme heat in
Wisconsin, which is responsible for more deaths in my State than any
other natural disaster combined, will be more prevalent, with up to a
month more of 90-degree-plus days.
These types of dramatic shifts must be met with equally big changes
in our behaviors. We must continue to push for alternatives to fossil
fuels like oil and coal. We must reduce our emissions and accurately
assess their true costs, and we must boost our energy efficiency by
investing in clean energy manufacturing for our environment and for our
jobs.
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