On the recordJune 13, 2019
The gentleman knows the Paris climate accord is voluntary, so he does not save one job by declining to follow the protocol that we previously agreed on. I do agree that there are economic opportunities that we can embrace, new technologies. I would love to see us work across the aisle to do just that. As a former Republican, I used to be in that party because of its environmental stewardship, because it believed that capitalism could help solve these problems. I still believe it as a Democrat on this side of the aisle, and I am hopeful that we can work together. For example, for every $1 that we provide in economic incentives for renewable energies, we have provided $80 to the fossil fuel industry. Clearly, if we had parity, we would see a much faster adoption of clean energies and the dissemination of clean energies by the existing energy companies. I can't wait to work with my colleagues across the aisle to accomplish that outcome. Ninety-seven percent of scientists recognize that climate change is real. The Department of Defense recognizes this is one of the top, if not the number one, national threats to our security. Let's work together. Let's quit pointing fingers across the aisle and using rhetoric that does not move forward an important issue that all of us should be fighting hard to address.
