Jimmy Panetta: “I appreciate Mr. Lipinski's kind words, but I think he and I know best that we had good teachers to help us understand…”

“I appreciate Mr. Lipinski's kind words, but I think he and I know best that we had good teachers to help us understand what it takes to get things done here in the United States Congress, and, most importantly, that is the ability to work together. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand here today with all of my colleagues, Republicans and Democrats, who are on the Climate Solutions Caucus. As you have heard tonight, and as we know, the Climate Solutions Caucus is a bipartisan caucus that gives Democrats and Republicans the opportunity to sit down and to discuss ways not only to protect our environment, but to protect our homes, our Nation's economy, and our Nation's security. Yes, this caucus consists of people from separate political parties, but all of us are united in our belief that we must have this dialogue to defend our future. Being from the central coast of California, where we have over 120 miles of stunning coastline in my district, we understand the vulnerability that comes with rising sea levels, something that can impact our economy, our security, and, of course, our daily lives. The co-chairs of the Climate Solutions Caucus, Florida Representatives Carlos Curbelo and Ted Deutch, they understand and they appreciate that threat, for earlier this year Florida was pummeled by Hurricane Irma and the subsequent severe flooding, a storm that affected the lives of millions of Americans and cost billions in recovery and cleanup efforts.…”