On the recordApril 9, 2013
I rise on behalf of the Safe Climate Caucus to challenge the Republicans on the Energy and Commerce Committee to a debate on climate change. In the last Congress, the Republicans in our committee voted that climate change is a hoax. They voted 53 times to block action on climate change. They voted to defund research, to block action by EPA to control pollution, to prevent energy efficiency measures from going into effect, and to stop the administration from encouraging developing countries to do their part. This year, they have gone silent. They refuse to hear the views of our premier scientific institutions, but they won't justify their inaction. They won't hold hearings. They won't listen to experts. That's why the members of the Safe Climate Caucus are challenging them to come to the floor and debate us. We are elected to solve problems, not to ignore them. Let's have the debate about how to solve the climate issue. ____________________
