Tom Carper

These can serve as natural infrastructure, not only for helping us adapt to the effects of climate change that Senator Whitehouse spoke so eloquently about, but also help us mitigate greenhouse gas emissions by storing and capturing carbon…

Thank you very much, Senator Whitehouse.

We are seeing far worse storms, which then rolls back into the problem of bad FEMA mapping.

We need resources to managing that coming hazard.

I will ask you to respond to that in greater detail for the record.

I like to say teamwork makes the dream work. It is certainly true in this case as well.

The Coastal Habitat Conservation Act of 2021 introduced by my colleagues, Senators Cardin and Graham, provides statutory authority for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Coastal Program.

I want to thank both Senator Cardin and Senator Graham for their leadership on this legislation.

I had the opportunity to see and hear one of the most transformational bills regarding voting rights in this country ever debated.

Please remember the importance of voting. Because every vote matters.

I understand, I think you said in your testimony that South Carolina's coastal resources support your local communities.

Those are good examples.

It is important to me that we maintain the bipartisan approach to updating CBRA that the Committee has followed in the past.

The critical work implicated in each of these bills could not be more timely.

Much of the legislation that we pass here is passed unanimously.

I love that. I always like to put in plugs for inviting people to come to Delaware. It is only fair that you do that for South Carolina, or West Virginia.

We look forward to it as well. Thanks for your service, and we look forward to working with you and your team, the people you represent.

We have heard some concerns on this bill, specifically, that it fails to address some of the regulatory overreach of the Delaware River Basin Commission.

By investing in coastal habitats, we are investing in local economies at the same time.

I want to thank Senator Graham for inviting our witness Emily Cope, from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.

As you know, we have a number of committees and subcommittees that are meeting simultaneously.

Because, as you know, there is presumptive legislation in 49 out of 50 States for this disease and cancers that fire fighters get that are now known to be occupationally acquired.

Anything short of banning it is a Band-Aid. We need to ban it because medical evidence has already proven that asbestos is deadly.

Right now, as it stands, Federal fire fighters have an impossible burden of proof.

Thank you for holding this important hearing and for your passion and commitment on this issue.