Climate Action Now Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. KIM. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Chair, I rise to offer my amendment to H.R. 9.

My amendment is straightforward. This bill requires the President to submit a plan to Congress to meet our obligations under the Paris accord. This amendment ensures that we do not forget the impact of our infrastructure when addressing the threat of climate change.

We know that climate change is real. We know that we are already feeling its effects and that it will only intensify. Strong scientific research tells us that storms are getting stronger and more frequent. Sea levels are rising, and this poses a direct threat to our coastal communities.

While this bill and the Paris accord take significant steps to address the root causes of climate change, we must be prepared to address the significant impact it is having on our Nation's infrastructure today.

My district in New Jersey was among the hardest hit by Superstorm Sandy. Toms River alone saw $2.25 billion in property damages, the highest out of any township in New Jersey, and we are still recovering from that storm that hit our State years ago.

In 2017 we saw three of the five costliest storms in our history in Harvey, Maria, and Irma. Rising sea levels are increasing the severity and frequency of flooding and are contributing to beach erosion, posing a major threat to our coastal tourism economy.

Climate change isn't just measured by rising tides and rising temperatures. It is measured by the rising costs that will incur on our communities and the investment needed in infrastructure to keep our communities resilient in the face of that threat.

In the coming months, as we hopefully take up and pass a bold infrastructure package, this amendment will provide guidance towards achieving the infrastructure resiliency our communities need. We know that infrastructure improvements don't only need to come in the form of potholes fixed and bridges rebuilt, they need to lessen the impact of rising storm surges from the next big storm and make sure communities like mine in Ocean County can remain a place for people to raise a family, create jobs, and achieve the American Dream.

The Paris Agreement's loss and damage provision recognizes the importance of updating our infrastructure to help communities deal with the adverse impacts of climate change. I urge that we include this amendment because it is crucial that there is an understanding from top to bottom of the threat that climate change poses and the impact that it will have toward infrastructure resiliency across our country.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. KIM. Mr. Chair, I reiterate that my amendment is straightforward. It recognizes the importance of safeguarding our communities and updating infrastructure to protect against the adverse impacts of climate change.

We can see that storms are getting worse and worse and costlier. The storms are not hitting just red States or blue States. They are hitting all of us.

I urge all my colleagues to stand behind my amendment and lend your support to ensure that our communities are resilient after the next big storm so that they can remain a place for people to raise a family, create jobs, and achieve the American Dream.

Mr. Chair, I urge adoption, and I yield back the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source