[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 11]
[House]
[Pages 16266-16267]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          SAFE CLIMATE CAUCUS

  (Mr. TONKO asked and was given permission to address the House for 1

[[Page 16267]]

minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, oceans cover 70 percent of our Earth's 
surface. They are home to a vast number of organisms that form an 
intricate food web--one that the world has relied on for high-quality 
protein and steady employment for generations. If we continue on our 
current path, we will face a serious decline in these essential 
resources.
  The oceans have been absorbing nearly one-fourth of the carbon 
emissions we release every day. We think of the oceans as too big to 
fail, but we are altering their physical, chemical, and biological 
characteristics at an increasing pace. Our oceans are warming, current 
patterns are changing, and salinity and acidity are changing. Sea 
levels are rising, and many fisheries are being overexploited.
  It is long past time for us to address climate change--to reduce 
greenhouse gas emissions and manage our coastal waters and the oceans 
in a more sustainable way. Oceans have sustained life on this planet 
for thousands of years. We should act now to ensure that they continue 
to do so for thousands more.

                          ____________________