Climate Action Now Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman of our committee for yielding me time.

The Paris Agreement will still stand with or without the U.S. not meeting our commitment, and it doesn't hurt the Paris Agreement, it just hurts the U.S. diplomatically and economically. So it is so critical that we use this opportunity to express to the world and to express to our own Nation that climate change is a priority for this Congress.

Beyond the diplomatic consequences around the world, a decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement hurts Americans right here at home. The U.S. is in the midst of a major transition to clean energy. As consumers demand access to cleaner energy and cleaner air, prices for renewables are falling across the board. With the market forces increasing favoring renewables, dirty energy is no longer a smart investment.

So I want to thank my colleague, Kathy Castor, and I want to thank the members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee for continuing to stand strong and stand firm in our commitment to the American people, because ceding the leadership role on the global stage means losing economic opportunities in the global clean energy economy, hurting American workers and businesses.

As we talk about the international framework, we see China, India, and other countries would lead if America does not.

This decision is just another bad Trump deal for the United States of America. It won't bring the coal industry back, and it cedes ground to creating renewable energy jobs that put Americans to work.

This is the new industrial revolution of the 21st century. Let us not cede our leadership to others around the globe but let us lead them. Let us provide the technology that the world will utilize to make sure that we save and preserve this planet, not only for our generation, but generations to come.

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