Huffman: “Fighting climate change is the biggest imperative of our time.”

July 10, 2013

WASHINGTON­—Congressman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael), a member of the Safe Climate Caucus, today spoke out on the House floor to urge Congress to act to fight climate change.

“President Obama’s plan is a step in the right direction and I am encouraged that the E.P.A. is moving quickly on meaningful standards for power plants. Strong power plant standards are an imperative if we’re going to avert the worst impacts of climate change,” Congressman Huffman said. “Fighting climate change is the biggest imperative of our time. The stakes are high, and ignoring it will not make the problem go away.”

A video of Congressman Huffman’s speech may be found HERE.

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Congressman Huffman’s full remarks are below:

“Mr. Speaker, after President Obama’s historic announcement of his climate action plan two weeks ago, we returned home to our congressional districts for a week, and some of us saw record high temperatures and drought. Others witnessed unseasonably heavy rainfall and tidal flooding.

And yet, this week we returned to a House that’s heading in the wrong direction.

The Energy and Commerce Committee is debating a bill that would give the Department of Energy veto authority over E.P.A.’s public health rules.

The Energy and Mineral Subcommittee spent yesterday in a hearing on the wonders of subsidized coal production.

Fighting climate change is the biggest imperative of our time.

The stakes are high, and ignoring it will not make the problem go away.

President Obama’s plan is a step in the right direction and I am encouraged that the E.P.A. is moving quickly on meaningful standards for power plants. Strong power plant standards are an imperative if we’re going to avert the worst impacts of climate change.

We’ve got a lot of work to do, Mr. Speaker, and it’s time to get this House headed in the right direction on climate policy. I yield back.”

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