[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 96 (Tuesday, June 6, 2017)]
[House]
[Page H4642]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
LEAVING PARIS AGREEMENT DAMAGING TO ENVIRONMENT
(Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI asked and was given permission to address the
House for 1 minute.)
Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI. Mr. Speaker, abandoning the commitments we made
in the Paris climate accord is a massive self-inflicted wound to our
environment, our global influence, and our economy. The damage caused
to our economy and environment by leaving the Paris Agreement is
undeniable, but it was also completely foreseeable. That is why the
first piece of legislation I wrote as a member of Congress called for
our country to keep the pledges we made in this agreement, the promises
we made to the world, and to ourselves.
Through his decision, the President is ceding American leadership in
the green economy to China, and kneecapping the global effort to
counter the effects of climate change. While the President has made his
choice, the rest of us can make ours.
We must continue to resist global climate change by expanding our
commitments to green technology and sustainable practices. If we do so,
we will not only address the challenges of our time, but also embrace
its opportunities.
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