[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 144 (Thursday, September 8, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4501-S4503]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                             Climate Change

  Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, I rise this morning to express my strong 
opposition to the so-called side deal that the fossil fuel industry is 
pushing to make it easier for them to pollute the environment and 
destroy our planet.
  But, before I do, let me put my opposition to this disastrous side 
deal into a broader context.
  As the father of four kids and the grandfather of seven, I very much 
wish that I did not have to say what I am going to say, but the most 
serious challenge facing our country and the entire world, far and 
away, is, in fact, the existential threat of climate change. That is 
not the opinion of Bernie Sanders, who failed physics in college. That 
is what the scientific community is telling us in a virtually unanimous 
voice.
  The latest report from the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on 
Climate Change, the IPCC, is very clear, and it is very foreboding. If 
the United States, China, Russia, and the rest of the world do not act 
extremely aggressively in cutting carbon emissions, our planet will 
face enormous and irreversible damage. In fact, the world that we will 
be leaving to our kids and to future generations will become 
increasingly unhealthy and uninhabitable. That is not Bernie Sanders. 
That is the virtually unanimous conclusion of the scientists who study 
this issue.
  The truth is that we don't need the scientists or another study to 
tell us what is happening. We see it with our own eyes here in the 
United States and all over the world. The American people, today, and 
people throughout the globe are seeing the devastating impact climate 
change is having on their communities and their families--with their 
own eyes. That is what they are seeing right now as I speak.
  Please understand--and this may be the most important point I want to 
make this morning--that, with everything being equal, what is happening 
right now will become worse and worse and worse. This is not, ``Oh, 
boy, we have torrential rain,'' or, ``Oh, boy, ain't it hot?'' With 
everything being equal, everything we are seeing today will become 
worse in the years to come. Let's just take a brief look at what is 
happening right now in the United States and around the world.
  The past 8 years have been the hottest years in recorded history. 
Right now, the western half of the United States is experiencing its 
worst drought in over 1,200 years. Right now, in California, Nevada, 
and Utah, they are experiencing recordbreaking heat waves.
  Historic rainfall and devastating floods took place over a 5-week 
stretch this summer in eastern Kentucky; eastern Illinois; St. Louis, 
MO; Death Valley, CA; and Dallas, TX. These are supposed to be once-in-
1,000-years torrential rainfalls, and we are seeing them coming all 
together within a few weeks.
  Right now, Europe is experiencing its worst drought in over 500 
years. And let's remember that when we talk about drought, it is not 
only, ``Boy, isn't it hot?'' it impacts agricultural production and the 
quantity and quality of food that we eat.
  A massive heat wave in Spain and Portugal killed more than 2,000 
people in July. Historically hot weather in London and China literally 
melted bridges, airplane runways, and rooftops. Let me repeat that. The 
extremely hot weather in London and in China this summer literally 
melted bridges, rooftops, and airplane runways, with all of the 
consequences that that has.
  Recordbreaking forest fires in Europe have already burned 1.6 million 
acres of land--56 percent more than the previous record set in 2017. 
That is a size that is over eight times bigger than New York City.
  Recordbreaking drought in China has caused parts of the Yangtze River 
to completely dry up. The Yangtze River is the third largest river in 
the world. It is the source of drinking water for 400 million people.
  Catastrophic rainfall and massive floods have been going on for weeks 
in Pakistan, killing at least 1,200 people and displacing another 10 
million as one-third of Pakistan is now underwater.
  If all of this is not sobering enough and if it is not frightening 
enough, a glacier in Antarctica that the scientists have dubbed the 
``doomsday glacier'' has been in ``rapid retreat'' and is melting much 
faster than previous predictions. Without this glacier and its 
supporting ice shelves, sea levels could rise by 3 to 10 feet, which 
could cause entire coastal communities to flood and go underwater 
forever. We are talking about major cities here in the United States 
and across the world that could be underwater in the coming decades.
  Just think for a moment about the massive dislocation, turmoil, and 
international tensions that will occur when millions and millions of 
people migrate from where they have lived into new areas. The tragedies 
and disturbances and destruction goes on and on and on.
  In the past, a series of climate disasters like these might have 
seemed like a silly plot in a bad movie about the apocalypse. 
Unfortunately, however, what we are living through now is not a movie. 
It is reality. This is what we are experiencing right now in front of 
us. Again, this entire scenario--what we are seeing now--will almost 
definitely become worse in the years to come if the United States, 
China, and the rest of the world do not get our act together and break 
our dependency on fossil fuels.
  One of the strange ironies about this moment is that, if the United 
States did all of the right things tomorrow, it would not be enough. We 
need the cooperation of China and of countries throughout the world. We 
as a planet are in this together, and we are going to have to act 
decisively. In my view, the largest economy in the world, which is the 
United States of America, must lead this effort. If we retreat, it 
sends a terrible message to countries all over the world. If we 
retreat, clearly, what we will be seeing are more floods, more rising 
sea levels, more extreme weather disturbances, more ocean 
acidification, more drought, more famine, more disease, and more human 
suffering.

  Today, to all of my colleagues here in the Senate who have kids and 
grandchildren--I think that is almost everybody--I just ask you to 
think ahead 10, 15, 20 years. Think about the discussions you will be 
having with your kids or your grandchildren when that young person 
looks you in the eye and says: Dad, Grandma, what did you do to save 
the planet?
  I want you to think about that.
  We all know that climate change is real. We know that climate change 
is caused by carbon emissions. No one disagrees with that. We know that 
climate change is already causing devastating destruction throughout 
the world. We know that, if we don't rapidly transform our energy 
system away from fossil fuels and toward energy efficiency and 
renewable energy, the situation will only become much worse, and our 
planet will face irreparable and irreversible harm. That is the simple 
reality.
  Yet, given all that we know and given all that the scientists are 
telling us, what is the U.S. Congress about to do? Well, the U.S. 
Congress is seriously considering legislation to provide a huge 
giveaway to the fossil fuel industry to drill, produce, and sell more 
oil and gas.
  Really? At a time when climate change is threatening the very 
existence of our planet, why would anybody be talking about 
substantially increasing carbon emissions and expanding fossil fuel 
production in the United States? What kind of message does this

[[Page S4502]]

send to the people of our own country, to the young people, and to 
suffering people all over the world? It is that, in the midst of this 
horrific crisis caused by fossil fuel emissions, we are about to pass 
legislation to increase fossil fuel production.
  Like every other Member of the Senate, I have a pretty good 
understanding of how politics works in our corrupt political system. 
Like every other Senator, I understand what campaign contributions are 
about. I understand what the thousands of lobbyists all over Capitol 
Hill do, and I surely understand the extraordinary power of the fossil 
fuel industry to push the legislation that they want. In fact, they 
were successful for decades in lying to the American people about the 
reality of climate change. So I know about the power of the fossil fuel 
industry.
  But, today, I beg of my colleagues that, at this moment, when the 
future of the world is literally at stake, that we have the courage to 
stand up to the fossil fuel industry and to tell them and the 
politicians whom they sponsor that the future of the planet is more 
important than their short-term profits.
  In the coming weeks and months, the Senate has a fundamental choice 
to make. We can listen to the fossil fuel industry and the politicians 
they pay, who are spending huge amounts of money on lobbying and 
campaign contributions to pass this dirty side deal, or we can listen 
to the scientists and the environmental community that are telling us 
loudly and clearly to reject this side deal and eliminate the $15 
billion in tax breaks and subsidies Congress is already providing to 
big oil and gas companies each and every year.
  While the legislative text of the side deal has not been made public, 
according to a one-page summary that was released last month, this bill 
would make it easier for the fossil fuel industry to receive permits to 
complete some of the dirtiest and most polluting oil and gas projects 
in America.
  Specifically, this deal would approve the $6.6 billion Mountain 
Valley Pipeline--a 303-mile fracked gas pipeline spanning from West 
Virginia to Virginia and potentially on to North Carolina. We are 
talking about a pipeline that would generate emissions equivalent to 37 
coal plants or over 27 million cars each and every year.

  It is hard for me to understand why anyone--anyone who is concerned 
about climate change--would consider for one second voting to approve a 
pipeline that would be equivalent to putting 27 million more cars on 
the road each and every year, especially at a time when we are trying 
to transition into electric vehicles.
  On August 24, over 650 environmental and civil rights organizations 
wrote a letter to Majority Leader Schumer and Speaker Pelosi urging 
them to reject this side deal. This letter was signed by the Sierra 
Club, the Sunrise Movement, Friends of the Earth, Physicians for Social 
Responsibility, 350.org, Greenpeace, Public Citizen, People's Action, 
and the NAACP.
  Here is a summary of what the letter says. This is a letter signed by 
650 environmental and civil rights groups:

       On behalf of 653 frontline communities and environmental . 
     . . organizations representing millions of members and 
     supporters nationwide, we are writing to express our 
     strenuous opposition to any additional fossil fuel giveaways. 
     Alarming proposals have been referenced by Senator Manchin, 
     in a short memo, and in legislative language that was clearly 
     drafted in consultation with the American Petroleum 
     Institute. . . . It has been reported that Manchin has 
     demanded these handouts to the fossil fuel industry as a 
     further price for his vote on the Inflation Reduction Act, 
     which already included large giveaways to polluters.
       We call on you to unequivocally reject any effort to 
     promote fossil fuels, advance unproven technologies, and 
     weaken our core environmental laws. . . . This fossil fuel 
     wish list is a cruel and direct attack on environmental 
     justice communities and the climate. This legislation would 
     truncate and hallow-out the environmental review process, 
     weaken Tribal consultations, and make it far harder for 
     frontline communities to have their voices heard by gutting 
     bedrock protections in the National Environmental Policy Act 
     and Clean Water Act. . . . Supporting this legislation would 
     represent a profound betrayal of frontline communities and 
     constituents across the country would have called on you to . 
     . . advance a just, renewable energy future.

  That is from 650 environmental organizations. I could not agree more.
  The entire letter can be found online at https://
peoplevsfossilfuels.org/dirty-deal-letter/.
  I should also add that at least 59 of our colleagues in the House of 
Representatives will soon be releasing a letter expressing strong 
opposition to this side deal. Let me briefly quote from that letter:

       According to media reports, there is agreement to advance a 
     series of anti-environmental and anti-environmental justice 
     provisions through the House, at the behest of the American 
     Petroleum Institute. . . . These destructive provisions will 
     allow polluting manufacturing and energy development projects 
     to be rushed through before the families who are forced to 
     live near them are even aware of the plans. . . . We remain 
     deeply concerned that these serious and detrimental 
     permitting provisions will significantly and 
     disproportionately impact low-income communities, indigenous 
     communities, and communities of color. The inclusion of these 
     provisions in a continuing resolution, or any other must-pass 
     legislation, would silence the voices of frontline and 
     environmental justice communities by insulating them from 
     scrutiny. Such a move would force Members to choose between 
     protecting environmental justice communities from further 
     pollution or funding the government.
       We urge you to ensure that these provisions are kept out of 
     a continuing resolution or any other must-pass legislation 
     this year.

  That is a letter that comes from over 50 of our colleagues in the 
House of Representatives.
  I ask unanimous consent to have that letter printed in the 
Congressional Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

       Cosigners (59): Rep. Grijalva, Rep. Khanna, Rep. Ocasio-
     Cortez, Rep. Schakowsky, Rep. Stansbury, Rep. Huffman, Rep. 
     McEachin, Rep. Takano, Rep. Bowman, Rep. Bush, Rep. Doggett, 
     Rep. Velazquez, Rep. Espaillat, Rep. Norton, Rep. Tlaib, Rep. 
     Scott, Rep. Gwen Moore, Rep. Case, Rep. Raskin, Rep. Andy 
     Levin, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, Rep. Lowenthal, Rep. DeSaulnier, 
     Rep. Bass, Rep. Watson Coleman, Rep. Nadler, Rep. McNerney, 
     Rep. Clarke, Rep. S. Brown, Rep. McCollum, Rep. Waters, Rep. 
     H. Johnson, Rep. Barbara Lee, Rep. Neguse, Rep. Carson, Rep. 
     Omar, Rep. Evans, Rep. Meng, Rep. Pressley, Rep. Barragan, 
     Rep. Chuy Garcia, Rep. Jayapal, Rep. Danny K. Davis, Rep. 
     Federica Wilson, Rep. Dean, Rep. Adams, Rep. Porter, Rep. 
     Clarke, Rep. Blumenauer, Rep. Roybal-Allard, Rep. Napolitano, 
     Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, Rep. Cardenas, Rep. Crow, Rep. 
     Cohen, Rep. Cicilline
       Dear Speaker Pelosi and Leader Hoyer: The permitting and 
     public notice and comment provisions mandated by the National 
     Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) are among the only tools 
     local communities have to force careful review of federal 
     projects that may have serious, long-term, environmental, and 
     public health consequences in those communities. Congress 
     should continue to provide increased funding to assist 
     federal agencies in completing the NEPA process but attempts 
     to short-circuit or undermine the law in the name of 
     ``reform'' must be opposed.
       According to media reports, there is agreement to advance a 
     series of anti-environmental and anti-environmental justice 
     provisions through the House, at the behest of the American 
     Petroleum Institute (API). These destructive provisions will 
     allow polluting manufacturing and energy development projects 
     to be rushed through before the families who are forced to 
     live near them are even aware of the plans.
       The proposed legislation would restrict public access to 
     the courts to seek remedies against illegal project 
     development; place arbitrary limits on the amount of time the 
     public is given to comment on polluting projects; and curtail 
     public input, environmental review, and government 
     accountability. Additionally, the API plan would require a 
     certain number of harmful fossil fuel projects to be 
     designated as ``projects of strategic national importance'' 
     to receive priority federal support, assistance, and 
     expedited environmental review. These permitting ``reforms'' 
     would weaken other important public health protections, 
     including the Clean Water Act and more.
       We remain deeply concerned that these serious and 
     detrimental permitting provisions will significantly and 
     disproportionately impact low-income communities, indigenous 
     communities, and communities of color. The inclusion of these 
     provisions in a continuing resolution, or any other must-pass 
     legislation, would silence the voices of frontline and 
     environmental justice communities by insulating them from 
     scrutiny. Such a move would force Members to choose between 
     protecting EJ communities from further pollution or funding 
     the government.
       We urge you to ensure that these provisions are kept out of 
     a continuing resolution or any other must-pass legislation 
     this year.
  Mr. SANDERS. So there we are. We have got 650 environmental and 
social justice organizations, representing millions of people, and we 
have got the entire scientific community saying we have got to cut 
carbon emissions. And then on the other side, we have the fossil fuel 
industry and all of their campaign contributions. So that is what it 
is.

[[Page S4503]]

  Today, I ask my colleagues to stand up for our kids, for our 
grandchildren, and for future generations. We have got to have the 
courage to finally tell the fossil fuel industry that the future of 
this planet is more important than their short-term profits.
  I yield the floor.