Congresswoman Kathy Castor Delivers Weekly Democratic Address

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Kathy Castor of Florida, Chair of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, delivered the Weekly Democratic Address.  In this week’s address, the Congresswoman highlighted the passage of H. R. 9, the Climate Action Now Act, which takes a bold first step to protect our planet by keeping us in the Paris Climate Agreement and laying the foundation for further innovative action.  Video and audio of the Weekly Democratic Address can be downloaded here.

Below is a full transcript of the address:

“Hello, I’m Representative Kathy Castor from Florida, and I chair the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis.

“This week, the House passed the first major legislation to address the climate crisis in nearly 10 years.  And it won’t be the last, because we are committed to passing climate legislation that works For The People, not the corporate polluters.

“The Climate Action Now Act is a straightforward bill I sponsored that prevents the Trump Administration from breaking America’s commitment and leaving the Paris Climate Agreement.

“We need to stay in this agreement because it was a major breakthrough.  After years of finger-pointing, the United States, China, India, Europe and countries all around the world came together and agreed to cut carbon pollution dramatically.

“Support for the landmark agreement is overwhelming.  A bipartisan group of 23 Governors, nearly 300 cities, and more than 2,000 businesses pledged to honor the Paris climate goals.  Now they’ve been joined by the U.S. House of Representatives.

“But we know this is just a first step.  To address the climate crisis, we need to stop carbon pollution from accumulating in our atmosphere.  That requires action.  Urgent action.  Ambitious action.

“We simply don’t have any more time for denial or delay.  An entire generation has grown up in a rapidly warming world and we are personally experiencing the harm.  Scientists say it will get worse, unless we act.

“I know.  A year and a half ago, I boarded up my home, packed my belongings and fled with my family as that monster Hurricane Irma loomed off the coast of Florida.  We were petrified of a devastating storm surge from the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay. 

“We were lucky because we had time to get out of the way.

“But for too many Americans, the climate crisis is inescapable.

“Seas are rising.  America’s heartland and coasts have suffered unprecedented floods.  Snowpack is shrinking and droughts are getting worse.  Hot, humid heat waves are becoming more intense, with more days where people cannot safely work outside or play outside.  And higher temperatures mean that other pollutants, like ground-level ozone from car exhaust are growing even more damaging to our health.

“The bottom line is that the climate crisis is costing us.  It’s increasing the cost of our health care, our flood and fire insurance, and it’s making costly weather disasters even worse.  So we need to cut carbon pollution for the people in our communities, and because we need to do it to create incredible economic opportunities.

“Already, more than 3.2 million Americans are working in clean energy jobs.  We can do more and make those quality, family-sustaining jobs that are accessible to everyone.

“And we can save people money on energy.  Efficiency standards will save us $2 trillion by 2030.  And fuel economy standards for our cars are saving the average household $2,800 a year at the pump.

“I believe in American ingenuity and leadership.  When America leads, people, countries and businesses across the globe are inspired to do more.

“But the Trump Administration has been a revolving door for powerful special interests in the fossil fuel lobby.  That’s why the President said he wants to take us backwards and cut and run from our commitments.

“But America doesn’t cut and run.  America keeps its commitments.

“So despite what the Trump Administration says, we are still in this agreement.  We have not formally withdrawn.  And if – and when – this bill becomes law, we never will.  Because we need climate policy that works For The People, not well-connected corporate polluters in the Trump Administration.

“That’s why we’re going to cut carbon pollution, protect the people and places we love, advance climate justice, and create a clean energy economy that works for everyone.

“This is just the start of climate action in this Congress.”