[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Pages 18643-18644]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    PARIS CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE

  Mr. REID. Madam President, as we speak, in faraway Paris, France, 194 
countries are gathering to negotiate an international agreement to 
address climate change. Fortunately for the world, President Obama is 
committed to doing something about that climate change.
  I send all my appreciation, my accolades to the French people for 
going ahead with this extremely important conference and not letting 
those terrible acts that occurred stop them from doing so. Because of 
President Obama's

[[Page 18644]]

leadership, the United States is taking on a more prominent role in 
rolling back dangerous carbon emissions, not only from our country but 
from China, India, Brazil, and other major sources of climate-changing 
pollution.
  Before the conference in Paris even started, more than 170 countries 
representing over 90 percent of global carbon emissions made concrete 
pledges to reduce carbon pollution. Climate change is among the most 
serious problems we face today. What does the Pentagon say? What do all 
the security agencies say is the most serious problem facing America 
today? Climate change. We are beginning to endure the devastating 
consequences of rising sea levels, extreme weather, and drought across 
America and all over the world.
  No country acting alone can halt climate change, but through American 
leadership and international cooperation, we can protect our air and 
climate for our children and their children. I commend President Obama 
for his work domestically and internationally to address this issue.

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