Political Quotes

“This month we passed a grim milestone. Scientists recorded atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide of more than 400 parts per million. The last time carbon dioxide concentrations were at that level was 3 million years ago. Seas were 60 feet higher, and human beings did not even exist. This milestone is yet another urgent reminder that we need to take immediate action to build a clean energy, low-carbon future. The Keystone XL pipeline takes us precisely in the wrong direction. This pipeline will expedite production of the dirtiest and most carbon- intensive crude oil on the planet and lock in our dependence on this dirty fuel for decades to come. I'm strongly opposed to the Keystone XL pipeline for that reason. But if the House is going to pass a bill that approves the Keystone XL pipeline, the least we can do is try to minimize the harm. That's the point of this amendment. Tar sands don't contain oil. It takes a lot of energy to melt and process the tar sands into something that we can use like oil. That extra energy means more carbon pollution. This isn't in dispute, although we hear arguments that it is, but it is not in dispute. The State Department has estimated that a gallon of gasoline from tar sands is responsible for about 17 percent more carbon pollution than the average U.S. gallon of gasoline. Other studies suggest that numbers could be even higher.…”