[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 6]
[House]
[Page 8884]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          SAFE CLIMATE CAUCUS

  (Mrs. CAPPS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, climate change is already taking a 
devastating effect on our planet. We're seeing its evidence in 
everything from Hurricane Sandy to more extreme droughts and wildfires, 
but we must not forget that we live on a blue planet--so climate change 
is an ocean issue, as well.
  The same greenhouse gases that are changing our climate are also 
changing our oceans. Our oceans absorb a tremendous amount of carbon 
dioxide from the atmosphere. So as carbon pollution increases, so too 
does the acidity of the oceans.
  Ocean acidification is threatening the survival of entire food chains 
and ocean ecosystems that we all depend upon for food, for jobs, and 
recreation.
  Mr. Speaker, our window of opportunity to address this problem is 
quickly closing. And with every day we fail to act, we further 
jeopardize the future of ocean resources.
  The President has declared this month as National Oceans Month. And 
last weekend, the international community celebrated World Oceans Day.
  Let's live up to this challenge. Let's take action on commonsense 
measures for healthy and productive oceans now and into the future.

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