[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 110 (Thursday, June 24, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H3085-H3086]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          NO CLIMATE, NO DEAL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Barragan) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, we are living in a climate emergency. The 
carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere have reached the highest levels 
in human history.
  In California, we have our worst drought in decades. Last week, we 
were hit by a heat wave that stretched from the West Coast to the Great 
Plains. This combination of unforgiving drought and relentless heat 
sets the conditions for another severe wildfire season. New Federal 
data shows the number of new wildfires this year is at a 10-year high.

[[Page H3086]]

  In recent years, our country has also faced record floods, deep 
freezes, and hurricanes. And deadly wildfires have hit States beyond 
California.
  Climate disruption is here. Congress has a responsibility to act 
boldly in response. The American Jobs Plan is a once-in-a-generation 
opportunity to meet the moment with a transformative investment in 
infrastructure.
  We have the opportunity to build a clean-energy future that uplifts 
the communities who now suffer from the impacts of the fossil fuel 
industry. We must do it.

  We must also recognize that communities of color have been hit first 
and worst by climate change. They must be at the front of the line for 
these investments. They must be represented in discussions on any 
infrastructure agreement.
  We can afford to protect our planet, clean our air and water, and 
provide a better quality of life for communities all over the country.
  We cannot afford an infrastructure bill that doesn't have climate at 
its center. We cannot afford a bill that doesn't invest in 
infrastructure that will create millions of jobs and serve the needs of 
our communities.
  We need: clean energy, a resilient electric grid, electric vehicle 
charging, green affordable housing, zero-emissions public transit, 
climate smart ports, and more.
  Our constituents did not send us here to back down when faced with 
climate deniers and deniers of taking any meaningful climate action.
  If we don't do it now, when will it ever happen? This is our 
opportunity. Now is the time to stand up for the health and the well-
being of our communities and our planet to say: No climate, no deal.

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