Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. MURPHY. Madam President, we have a lot in common. We share the fact that we are both parents. In fact, I am the father of two little boys--a 4-year-old and a 1-year-old. If they are lucky enough, they might get to live to see the year 2100. They might be around for the end of this century, as opposed to the rest of us who will not see that day. I shudder to think about the Connecticut they are going to have to deal with 80-some years from today if we don't act right now.

This isn't science fiction that we are talking about. In New England we are talking about a 1- to 3-foot rise in sea level by the end of this century. Just a handful of inches is catastrophic in some parts of the globe, but a 3-foot rise in sea level in the State of Connecticut on a shoreline that has already been battered--as Senator Blumenthal mentioned--by storm after storm would be absolutely cataclysmic.

The Connecticut my children may be living in at the end of this century would bear almost no recognition to the one in which they live now. Every single week and every single month that we don't do something is another step closer to that future world which we now think of as one of fantasy.

Connecticut is also home to some of the biggest property and casualty insurance companies in the country--and, frankly, in the world. I think it is important to recognize the fact that our inability to act is bankrupting this country right now as we speak. The property and casualty industry has paid out $135 billion with respect to extreme weather events in 2012--$139 billion has been paid out. Now, that results in increased premiums, which results in skyrocketing costs for everybody across this country who is paying for property and casualty insurance.

The taxpayers have likely paid about $100 billion in terms of cleanup costs and remediation costs just over the last year alone. Superstorm Sandy, and the events that we have seen hit the gulf and the east coast, are bankrupting our Nation and bankrupting companies and private insurance policyholders as we speak. Those costs are catastrophic.

The reason we have such a big group of Senators down here applauding the President's actions is also because we know the United States cannot do this alone. We know we are going to have to convince countries such as India, China, and developing nations to join us in a global effort. We hope the international climate talks are on pace to get an agreement that could be operative by the end of this decade, in 2020.

The world is still scarred by a unanimous vote in this Chamber to reject the Kyoto protocols. The world is skeptical that the United States really has the courage to lead on this issue.

Even though this body remains paralyzed for the time being on this subject, having the President come out and make the proposals he has today will hopefully give some confidence to the people who will be sitting in Poland at the end of this year. Hopefully, they will work out a climate agreement over the next several years on which the United States--at least with respect to the administration and the Senators down on the floor--is willing to lead.

Finally, I was pleased to hear the President talk about the specific issue of fast-acting climate pollutants today. We are going to have to get a global agreement on carbon dioxide. In the meantime, as we try to figure out a bridge to that 2020 operative agreement, if we are able to work with the international community with respect to the climate pollutants of methane, black carbon, and HFCs, we can make an enormous dent as we get ready for that lasting agreement.

In fact, we just got good news last weekend that the President, along with the head of the Chinese Government, has come to an agreement to try to rework the Montreal protocols with respect to a reduction in the admittance of HFCs, one of the most disastrous and insidious climate pollutants.

This is a very good day. We have given a signal to the international community that we are ready to lead. We have given a signal to millions of kids across the country who hope they might be around at the end of this century and that this country might have some approximation to what we enjoy today.

There will be a big group of us--led by Senators WHITEHOUSE, MERKLEY, and BOXER--who will be ready to work with this President to enact this very bold plan.

As I mentioned, one of the leaders of this effort is my good friend whom I yield to now, with the permission of the Presiding Officer, the Senator from Oregon.

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