Political Quotes

“I rise as a member of the Safe Climate Caucus to call attention to a new report from the Nation's premier scientific body, the National Academy of Sciences. We typically associate climate change with gradual, longer-term problems, but according to the academy, climate change could also pose a risk of rapid hard-to-predict environmental changes that have the potential to cause widespread damage in the near term. The report warns that the collapse of the polar sea ice could send sea levels soaring. The destruction of the coral reefs could cause a mass extinction of sea life. The elimination of summer sea ice in the Arctic could alter the world's weather patterns. These ``tipping points'' could happen suddenly. It is reckless to do nothing when faced with these threats. If there is a 10 percent chance that these threats would happen, it is irresponsible for us to ignore it. Dr. Richard Alley, one of the coauthors, compared the threat of abrupt climate change to the dangers posed by drunk drivers. He said, ``You can't see it coming, so you can't prepare for it.'' Congress is acting irresponsibly if we don't take this issue seriously. We want to pass on a planet that is worthy of our children's and our grandchildren's future. ____________________”