No Climate, No Deal

Floor Speech

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Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, we are living in a climate emergency. The carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere have reached the highest levels in human history.

In California, we have our worst drought in decades. Last week, we were hit by a heat wave that stretched from the West Coast to the Great Plains. This combination of unforgiving drought and relentless heat sets the conditions for another severe wildfire season. New Federal data shows the number of new wildfires this year is at a 10-year high.

In recent years, our country has also faced record floods, deep freezes, and hurricanes. And deadly wildfires have hit States beyond California.

Climate disruption is here. Congress has a responsibility to act boldly in response. The American Jobs Plan is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to meet the moment with a transformative investment in infrastructure.

We have the opportunity to build a clean-energy future that uplifts the communities who now suffer from the impacts of the fossil fuel industry. We must do it.

We must also recognize that communities of color have been hit first and worst by climate change. They must be at the front of the line for these investments. They must be represented in discussions on any infrastructure agreement.

We can afford to protect our planet, clean our air and water, and provide a better quality of life for communities all over the country.

We cannot afford an infrastructure bill that doesn't have climate at its center. We cannot afford a bill that doesn't invest in infrastructure that will create millions of jobs and serve the needs of our communities.

We need: clean energy, a resilient electric grid, electric vehicle charging, green affordable housing, zero-emissions public transit, climate smart ports, and more.

Our constituents did not send us here to back down when faced with climate deniers and deniers of taking any meaningful climate action.

If we don't do it now, when will it ever happen? This is our opportunity. Now is the time to stand up for the health and the well- being of our communities and our planet to say: No climate, no deal.

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