[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12290]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          CLIMATE CHANGE LEGISLATION AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR

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                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 11, 2008

  Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of passing 
meaningful climate change legislation that includes programs to reduce 
emissions of greenhouse gases. Climate change is one of the most urgent 
issues of our time and will affect the whole world, but the brunt of 
the climate burden will undoubtedly be taken by the poorest 
populations.
  Low-lying coastal areas and urban inner cities are particularly 
vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The construction of 
interstate highways has concentrated greenhouse gases in urban 
communities and increased the prevalence of asthma in those areas. 70 
percent of African-American people live near environmentally unfriendly 
industries like coal fired plants. These plants emit greenhouse gases 
and other pollutants that adversely affect the air quality in the 
communities around them.
  The issue of climate change is not only about African-Americans, but 
a much broader Black community. The Black Diaspora and Africans are 
particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of environmental 
inaction. It is estimated that 75-250 million Africans can be affected 
by the stresses that climate change has on water supply and a rapidly 
changing ecosystem.
  The ingenuity of the people of the United States will allow our 
country to become a leader in curbing global warming by paving the way 
with well-planned legislation and creating jobs that will boost the 
economy. Prompt, decisive action is critical, since global warming 
pollutants can persist in the atmosphere for more than a century.
  The most important thing to remember is that the most expensive 
policy is that of doing nothing. We cannot afford not to take action. 
The impact that climate change has on our ecosystems, health, and food 
and energy costs is irreversible. By taking aggressive action on this 
urgent issue, we are showing our constituents and the world that 
climate change is highly prioritized by the United States and 
furthermore, it determines the decisiveness and speed with which we as 
a country will confront this issue in the future.

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