[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 2148-2149]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                THE COST OF INACTION WILL BE STAGGERING

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 28, 2013

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I submit this letter, which is an 
example of an opportunity for a bipartisan climate action.

                       The Cost of Inaction . . .

       The effects of climate change in the world's most 
     vulnerable regions present a serious threat to American 
     national security interests. As a matter of risk management, 
     the United States must work with international partners, 
     public and private, to address this impending crisis. 
     Potential consequences are undeniable, and the cost of 
     inaction, paid for in lives and valuable U.S. resources, will 
     be staggering. Washington must lead on this issue now.

[[Page 2149]]

       Countries least able to adapt to or mitigate the impacts of 
     climate change will suffer the most, but the resulting crises 
     will quickly become a burden on U.S. priorities as well. Both 
     the Department of Defense and the State Department have 
     identified climate change as a serious risk to American 
     security and an agent of instability. Without precautionary 
     measures, climate change impacts abroad could spur mass 
     migrations, influence civil conflict and ultimately lead to a 
     more unpredictable world. In fact, we may already be seeing 
     signs of this as vulnerable communities in some of the most 
     fragile and conflict-ridden states are increasingly displaced 
     by floods, droughts and other natural disasters. Protecting 
     U.S. interests under these conditions would progressively 
     exhaust American military, diplomatic and development 
     resources as we struggle to meet growing demands for 
     emergency international engagement.
       It is in our national interest to confront the risk that 
     climate change in vulnerable regions presents to American 
     security. We must offer adaptive solutions to communities 
     currently facing climate-driven displacement, support 
     disaster risk reduction measures and help mitigate potential 
     future impacts through sustainable food, water and energy 
     systems. Advancing stability in the fare of climate change 
     threats will promote resilient communities, reliable 
     governance and dependable access to critical resources.
       We, the undersigned Republicans, Democrats and 
     Independents, implore U.S. policymakers to support American 
     security and global stability by addressing the risks of 
     climate change in vulnerable nations. Their plight is our 
     fight; their problems are our problems. Even as we face 
     budgetary austerity and a fragile economic recovery, public 
     and private sectors must work together to meet the funding 
     demands of this strategic investment in internationally-
     backed solutions. Effective adaptation and mitigation efforts 
     in these counties will protect our long-standing security 
     interests abroad.
         Madeleine Albright, Secretary of State 1997-2001; Richard 
           Armitage, Deputy Secretary of State 2001-05; Samuel 
           Berger, National Security Advisor 1997-2001; Sherwood 
           Boehlert, US Congressman (R-NY) 1983-2007; Carol 
           Browner, Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency 
           1993-2001; Michael Castle, US Congressman (R-DE) 1993-
           2011, Governor (R-DE) 1985-92; GEN Wesley Clark, USA 
           (Ret), Fmr. Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO; 
           William Cohen, Secretary of Defense 1997-2001, US 
           Senator (R-ME) 1979-97; Lt Gen Lawrence P. Farrell, 
           Jr., USAF (Ret.), Fmr. Deputy Chief Of Staff for Plans 
           and Programs, HQ USAF; BG Gerald E. Galloway, Jr., 
           P.E., Ph.D., USA (Ret.), Fmr. Dean of the Academic 
           Board, US Military Academy; Wayne Gilchrest, US 
           Congressman (R-MD) 1991-2009; James Greenwood, US 
           Congressman (R-PA) 1993-2005; VADM Lee F. Gunn, USN 
           (Ret.), Fmr. Inspector General of the Department of the 
           Navy; Lee Hamilton, US Congressman (D-IN) 1965-99, Co-
           Chair, PSA Advisory Board; Gary Hart, US Senator (D-CO) 
           1975-87; Rita E. Hauser, Chair, International Peace 
           Institute; Carla Hills, US Trade Representative 1989-
           93; Thomas Kean, Governor (R-N) 1982-90, 9/11 
           Commission Chair; GEN Paul J. Kern, USA (Ret), Fmr. 
           Commanding General, US Army Materiel Command; Richard 
           Leone, President, The Century Foundation 1989-2011; 
           Joseph I. Lieberman, US Senator (I-CT) 1989-2013; 
           Richard G. Lugar, US Senator (R-IN) 1977-2013; VADM 
           Dennis V. McGinn, USN, (Ret.), Fmr. Deputy Chief of 
           Naval Operations for Warfare Requirements and Programs; 
           Donald McHenry, US Ambassador to the UN 1979-81; 
           Constance Morella, US Congresswoman (R-MD) 1987-2003, 
           US Ambassador to OECD 2003-07; Sam Nunn, US Senator (D-
           GA) 1972-96; John Porter, US Congressman (R-IL) 1980-
           2001; Tom Ridge, Secretary of Homeland Security 2003-
           05, Governor (R-PA) 1995-2001; ADM Gary Roughead, USN 
           (Ret.), Fmr. Chief of Naval Operations; Warren Rudman, 
           US Senator (R-NH) 1980-92, Fmr. Co-Chair, PSA Advisory 
           Board; Christopher Shays, US Congressman (R-CT) 1987-
           2009; George Shultz, Secretary of State 1982-89; 
           Olympia J. Snowe, US Senator (R-ME) 1995-2013; GEN 
           Gordon R. Sullivan, USA (Ret.), Fmr. Chief of Staff, US 
           Army, Chairman, CNA Military Advisory Board; Timothy E. 
           Wirth, US Senator (D-CO) 1987-93; Frank Wisner, 
           Undersecretary of State 1992-93; R. James Woolsey, 
           Director of Central Intelligence 1993-95, Co-founder, 
           US Energy Security Council; GEN Anthony Zinni, USMC 
           (Ret.), Fmr. Commander in Chief, US Central Command.

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