[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 4986]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          THE CLEAN POWER PLAN

  (Mr. PANETTA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in opposition of the executive 
order that was signed that attempts to destroy the Clean Power Plan.
  Once again, we are seeing politics driving policy. We are seeing the 
fulfillment of a past campaign promise rather than a focus on our 
future. The administration claims that the Clean Power Plan limits 
jobs. The reality is that the jobs were not lost due to tougher carbon 
emission standards. Instead, jobs were found due to our innovation, 
more competition based on cheaper natural gas, more mechanization due 
to advances in technology, and more tax credits for renewable energy.
  The reality is that more jobs and property will be lost without 
reducing our CO2 output. More CO2 will lead to 
more acidification which will lead to less fish and less fishermen. 
More CO2 will lead to shrinking icecaps and expanding sea 
levels causing damage to property not only along the central coast of 
California, my district, but along all coastlines around the world. 
Homes, businesses, and even our Navy bases will be affected, 
threatening not just our personal but our national security.
  The administration needs to stop taking steps backwards when it comes 
to our CO2 output. But like many businesses, it needs to 
start pivoting and taking steps forward to protect our jobs, our 
coastlines, and our future.

                          ____________________