Executive Session

Floor Speech

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Mr. MARKEY. Thank you, Mr. President.

We are at a very important historical juncture, where the science is now conclusive that in fact the planet is dangerously warming.

Since we last met on this floor a lot has happened. The global temperature for April 2014 tied with 2010 for the warmest April ever recorded in the history of the planet. This goes back to 1880.

In May, the third National Climate Assessment presented the scientific evidence that climate change is already impacting the United States.

The good news. The good news is that the President last week promulgated new rules to control greenhouse gases coming out of powerplants in the United States of America.

Here is the very good news--the Senator from Rhode Island, the Senator from Vermont, the States across the Northeast--nine States have already had a regional greenhouse gas initiative over the last 9 years. In Massachusetts, we are already 40 percent lower now in 2014 than we were in 2005--40 percent lower. We know a flexible system such as this can and will work across the country.

It is absolutely necessary for the United States to be the leader. We cannot preach temperance from a bar stool. The United States cannot tell the rest of the world they should reduce their greenhouse gases when we are still continuing on our historic path.

The good news is we are going to create a green energy revolution. We can save creation while engaging in massive job creation in the United States.

We can unleash this green energy revolution. We can reduce greenhouse gases. We can give the leadership to the rest of the world. We need to have a big debate here on the Senate floor. This is the place where the United States of America expects us to have this debate and where the rest of the world is watching.

I yield the floor.

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