Providing for Congressional Disapproval of A Rule Submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency

Floor Speech

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Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I have great respect for our colleague from Kentucky. However, when he talks about being in disagreement with the President of the United States, I should point out also that he is in disagreement with 97 percent of the scientist community that professes that we need to do something tremendously strong in response to climate change.

In regard to our role in this whole arena, putting ourselves at a competitive disadvantage, one of the responsibilities that befalls the leading nation like the United States is that, in fact, we must be that inspiration that inspires the international community. We have been able to bring some 150 countries to the fold to speak to their efforts of climate change, and we have inspired efforts from major nations like that of China, Brazil, and Mexico so as to begin that process.

When I met in my office with representatives from the EU--I think there were 13 nations represented--they all wanted to know where the giant was on this issue. The world is looking to the United States for its leadership, and that is a role that we should not take lightly, and it is one that we should move forward with in bold fashion.

With that being said, I now yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. McNerney), who has been an outstanding voice on the Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy.

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Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, there is much talk of the impact the President has on this issue and that it is a one-person force driving this country in a given direction, but a memo has been brought to my attention from Cassandra Carmichael, Executive Director of the National Religious Partnership for the Environment, and the faith-based community, which incorporates several faiths, who have written very strongly about their belief that we need to move forward with climate change action.

They are disappointed in the lack of foresight and leadership reflected in these two resolutions. They make it abundantly clear that their communities are on the front lines of issues like health care, disaster relief, refugee resettlement, and development work. These are all issues that are somewhat connected in the external measurements of the fight on climate change.

They also talk about their beliefs that the Clean Power Plan is a solution that they have been advocating for over the course of many years, and that they believe that we can do this by assignment to the individual States, not imposing heavy economic pressure on some of our poorest neighborhoods, and that there is a way to be sound stewards of the environment and at the same time grow our economy.

I believe that it is a very powerful statement that should motivate all of us to think twice about our actions here, that we should move forward in a progressive fashion. They indicate God's creation is sacred and that we are called on to be responsible stewards of the gifts of creation while protecting our vulnerable neighbors. It doesn't get stronger than that.

So with that, I just think it needs to be brought into the discussion that it is not a one-person operation, a one-person show that is drawing us down this certain route of response to climate change but, rather, a large universe of support there that speaks to the wisdom of sound stewardship.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Johnson), who is a passionate voice on behalf of the environment and economic recovery.

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Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the policies, I believe that the many, many hearings on the many issues, in a way, provide for a doable, workable plan. But opposition to a policy or just saying ``no'' isn't public policy. It isn't a strong response. It isn't a substantive response. To just disagree with what is being offered here without having viable solutions, without addressing carbon emissions, without speaking to the nuances of greening up our power supplies and growing energy independence, we are failing to respond in an effective manner.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Tsongas), a very strong voice and progressive voice for the environment, who is strong in her beliefs about climate change.

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Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

The whole effort to make certain that we move forward with carbon emission reduction and the claims that we have dropped since 2005 levels--well, there was a drop in 2008 and 2009 because of the recession, a wind-down of activity, of less use of electricity. But then, again, we had climbed in 2012 and 2013, the last measurements on record.

So we need to be real about this effort. We know that if we do nothing we will see drops by 2040 of only 9 percent, when efforts here to make certain that we can reduce that carbon emission by 80 percent by 2050 are a strong contrast, and the goals here are laudable and noble.

I would also make mention that we have it within our power to provide for issues that, with technology, enable us to respond to these goals. We need to do that. I think we need to set the standards in a way that pronounce our stewardship as very noble for the environment.

Mr. Speaker, I again encourage us to reject these resolutions. I think they set us back. It would nullify opportunities to policy standards that would require stronger response.

We would allow for build-out that provides for additional construction, additional pollution that would accompany that opportunity that would be dangerous to our environment.

It would nullify our efforts to address carbon pollution, so that this is a dangerous thing, and I think it is why the President has indicated that, should they come to his desk, he would veto these measures, and why we are having this debate today while we should be championing the cause in a bipartisan, bicameral way to show the world that we care significantly about carbon emission reduction and that we want to stand as a world leader. That is where we should place ourselves and posit ourselves in that noble dimension.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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