Addressing Climate Change and Clean Energy

Floor Speech

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Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, we cannot unravel infrastructure from climate. As we consider bold new investments in America's infrastructure, our choices will shape our climate future for better or worse.

Failing to address climate pollution and clean energy in our infrastructure work will force future generations of Americans to cover a blank check. And we are already passing on grave and growing costs for our past failures to act.

But let me put this another way: seizing opportunities to tackle climate change in our infrastructure work will help us build legislation that makes America cleaner, safer, and more competitive as a Nation. It will save countless lives and create millions of good American jobs.

If we make climate a priority, our workers will miss fewer days on the job, and our kids will miss fewer days at school. Our local budgets will suffer less strain. Our infrastructure dollars will go farther. The things we build will last longer.

Climate is a growing threat that demands urgent, bold action. And doing nothing about it is doing something, it is condemning the United States to become a weaker, sicker, and poorer Nation. This is our path to choose. Do we allow America to further decline or choose a more sustainable, prosperous, and just future? To me, the decision is clear: Let's move forward.

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