[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 16 (Wednesday, January 27, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S157-S158]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                CLIMATE

  Mr. SCHUMER. On climate, today President Biden is set to announce a 
slew of Executive actions on climate, including critical measures to 
increase the conservation of Federal lands, reduce oil and gas 
development, and

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place environmental justice, green jobs, and, yes, science at the heart 
of our Nation's climate policy.
  I think Americans are saying: Welcome back, science. We are glad you 
are playing a role in the decisions we make and not being ignored and 
trampled on like the previous administration did. Understanding that 
the United States cannot defeat a global threat on its own, the Biden 
administration has already wisely joined the Paris accords and will 
also propose convening an international climate summit this year, on 
Earth Day.

  These Executive actions are a very strong opening push by the Biden 
administration to refocus our Nation's energy toward the threat of 
climate change. President Biden's commitment to deal with climate 
change is unquestioned. He is off to a fast start, and it couldn't come 
soon enough.
  The Federal Government has a great deal of power to set the direction 
for our Nation's energy and environmental policy, but climate change 
represents an existential threat to our country and our planet. Every 
tool in the toolbox should be brought to bear. In my view, President 
Biden should consider the declaration of a national emergency on 
climate change.
  Former President Trump, of course, issued an emergency declaration to 
divert funds toward an expensive and ineffective border wall when there 
was no emergency at all. Declaring one for climate change--an actual 
emergency--would be a giant step in the right direction, and it would 
allow President Biden to tap additional resources and pursue additional 
policies in the fight against climate change, even if Republicans in 
Congress remain intransigent and unable to recognize the severity of 
this crisis.
  Japan, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and scores of regional and 
local governments have declared states of emergency on climate change. 
The United States would send a powerful signal to the world about our 
commitment to defeating climate change if we did so as well.

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