[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 92 (Friday, June 10, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E881]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           OPPOSITION TO H. CON. RES. 89 AND H. CON. RES. 112

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 10, 2016

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the two 
resolutions brought to the floor today, H. Con. Res. 89 and H. Con. 
Res. 112. These resolutions are a time-wasting distraction from the 
real work that this Congress should be doing--finding ways to invest in 
America, grow paychecks and create good jobs for the middle class and 
those struggling to get by.
  The oil fee and carbon tax are two proposals to address the problem 
of climate change and, in the case of the oil fee, provide needed funds 
for infrastructure reform. While we can debate the merits of these 
particular approaches, at least they are efforts to take on real 
challenges facing our country and the world.
  Instead, the majority simply wants to stick their heads in the sand 
and wish these challenges away. That may appease their Trump Tea Party 
base, but it represents a total lack of leadership.
  And make no mistake, inaction on climate change does not just risk 
our future--it is costing us today. The increase in extreme weather 
events is hitting Americans in the pocketbook, through higher insurance 
rates and home repair costs, and this will only get worse from our 
failure to act. The greater harm is through the missed opportunity to 
create high-paying jobs for American workers. We can be the world's 
green-economy leader, supporting millions of new jobs in research and 
manufacturing in the process, but it requires Congress to act. 
Republicans would rather we sit on the sidelines while other countries 
seek the mantle of climate-change leader, and those countries reap the 
benefit of high-paying technology jobs that will come with it.
  Now, we should have a discussion on the best ways to boost our 
economy by combatting climate change, reducing our reliance on fossil 
fuels, and finding ways to properly invest in our nation's 
infrastructure. In that vein, I've introduced the Healthy Climate and 
Family Security Act, a cap-and-dividend plan that would help us combat 
climate change and support economic growth and a thriving middle class. 
It boosts the purchasing power of families in Maryland and across the 
country while achieving the reductions in greenhouse gas emissions 
necessary to address the economic and health risks of climate change, 
using a market-based approach.
  Similarly, last year I introduced the GROW AMERICA Act, a bill which 
would boost infrastructure spending and help pay for it by closing the 
egregious inversions loophole which allows corporations to shift their 
tax obligations onto hard-working Americans just by changing their 
mailing address. My Democratic colleagues have many other thoughtful 
ideas on how we can address these important issues.
  But today's resolutions are not a thoughtful discussion on addressing 
climate change or funding our infrastructure--in the text of these 
resolutions, the terms ``climate change'' and ``infrastructure'' are 
nowhere to be seen. In fact, these resolutions are a waste of time 
meant to appease the Trump Tea Party base. The American people need us 
to do our job, so let's get to the real work of creating broadly shared 
prosperity. I urge my colleagues to vote no.

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