[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 98 (Wednesday, June 10, 2026)]
[House]
[Pages H4060-H4061]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING RAFE POMERANCE

  (Ms. Jayapal of Washington was recognized to address the House for 5 
minutes.)
  Ms. JAYAPAL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy 
of Rafe Pomerance. Rafe passed away on May 21 at the age of 79 in 
Washington, D.C. Rafe fiercely and steadfastly championed environmental 
causes for nearly five decades.
  Rafe was a beloved advocate for climate action. Born in New York City 
in 1946, Rafe grew up among nature in Connecticut and was a graduate of 
Cornell University. He was an activist, organizer, policy expert, and 
diplomat.
  The New York Times described him as the ``Paul Revere of Climate 
Change,'' an environmentalist who discovered an obscure 1979 report 
that burning coal heats the atmosphere, a man who devoted his life to 
warning the public and policymakers about the dangers of climate 
change. He dedicated his life to uplifting the dangers of climate 
change and was instrumental in advancing awareness of the issue.
  Rafe set the foundation for understanding climate change as a 
comprehensive problem that demanded urgent policy action.
  When Rafe first started this work, inspired by a report by the 
Environmental Protection Agency on the impact of coal emissions on 
global warming, the risks of climate change were not being recognized 
or addressed. Scientists had been measuring increasing atmospheric 
carbon dioxide concentration since the early 1960s, but their warnings 
remained largely overlooked by both governments and civil society.
  Rafe was one of the few who recognized the magnitude of the threat 
and was compelled to sound the alarm. He organized the first briefings 
ever about climate change with policymakers, developed relationships 
with news media to bring the issue into public view and mobilize 
stakeholder groups to pursue collective action.
  Today, climate change is one of the key issues driving political 
discourse, in large part because of Rafe's early leadership and 
insistence that we could not afford to look away.
  Throughout his distinguished career, Rafe served the American people 
in government and nonprofits. He was the U.S. Deputy Assistant 
Secretary of State for Environment and Development from 1993 to 1999. 
In this capacity, he represented the United States at both the Berlin 
and Kyoto Conferences of the Parties. Rafe was instrumental in 
organizing the 1986 Senate hearings on climate change and helped 
negotiate a landmark UN treaty on global greenhouse emissions.
  Rafe was a dedicated champion for the environment at a number of 
organizations including Friends of the

[[Page H4061]]

Earth, the World Resources Institute, the Climate Policy Center, Arctic 
21, the Polar Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences, 
American Rivers, the League of Conservation Voters, Climate Action 
Network, and the Potomac Conservancy.
  Rafe continued his advocacy until his passing, primarily through his 
leadership on the Upper Limit Project, an effort to establish an upper 
limit on sea level rise in order to protect coastal communities and 
help the world better understand the real-world consequences of climate 
change.
  Through that work, he argued that climate policy must not only focus 
on temperature targets but also on preventing catastrophic sea level 
rise that threatens economies, ecosystems, and the future of coastal 
cities around the world. He continued his advocacy literally until the 
last days, until his passing, remaining an outspoken leader on the need 
for urgent action to save our planet.
  I was blessed to know Rafe through his daughter, Lilah Pomerance, who 
has served as my incredible chief of staff for the past 6 years here in 
Congress. I see Rafe's legacy exhibited in her every day. The 
commitment to service, compassion, and big ideas that drove him have 
been passed to the next generation, and I am so grateful for this and 
for all of Rafe's contributions to our planet and our people.
  I am proud to be joined in the Chamber today by Lilah; her husband, 
Dan; and her daughter, Noa, as we celebrate Rafe's life and 
contributions.
  Rafe is survived by his wife, Lenore Pomerance; his children, Lilah, 
Benjamin, and Ethan; two siblings; and seven grandchildren.
  Through his enduring legacy and his love for his family, for his 
friends, for his community, and for this planet that we live on, Rafe's 
legacy will continue to shape the fight against climate change and 
touch the lives of so many across the world.
  I thank Rafe Pomerance.

                          ____________________