Kathy Castor

Farmers are on the front lines of the climate crisis.

The climate crisis is increasingly putting America's agriculture at risk.

Defenders of Wildlife (Defenders) is pleased to offer testimony for the record for the hearing, 'Solving the Climate Crisis: Opportunities in Agriculture.'

I think what you have seen is consensus from this panel and the fact that soil is central to the entire equation.

Thank you for providing the opportunity to provide testimony for the record that will help to address our current climate crisis.

thank you for holding this hearing and putting a spotlight on the climate crisis--one of the greatest challenges before us as a society.

Let the record reflect that the beaches of the Gulf Coast are the best in the world.

We want the international travelers back. They are important to us.

Brand USA is working, and we really need to move this bill out of committee expeditiously and get it passed.

Are you aware that these plans can exclude coverage for preexisting conditions or decline to offer coverage to individuals with preexisting conditions, yes or no?

The Federal Trade Commission has already had to act and shut down some of these fly-by-night health insurers, calling it a bait-and-switch scheme.

One of the most egregious policies that has increased costs is the expansion of the junk health insurance plans, the short-term limited duration plans.

A recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that 2019 premiums are 16 percent higher than they otherwise would be due to the Trump administration's actions.

If you go online and you type in 'I am looking, shopping for health insurance' sometimes what will come up will be one of these junk insurance plans.

The Trump administration has made numerous policy changes that increase the costs on families across this country, increase health insurance premiums, and erode coverage for preexisting conditions, preexisting conditions like cancer and…

HHS is pedaling false information. These navigators are--brokers are fine, but navigators do not have allegiance to an insurance company, they have an allegiance to the consumer.

I think we tend to talk too often about government solutions, which are important--and I agree with you, it is critical--but our climate crisis is, in the first instance, a market failure.

Every 30 seconds our country loses a natural area the size of a football field to human development.

the planet, this pale blue dot, belongs to us and is ours to manage, and we can't retreat from that responsibility to manage it wisely.

Trees are another key natural climate solution.

Okay. So to give Americans and the world the best chance of avoiding the worst consequences of the climate crisis...

Nature can help solve other climate change challenges as well.

The time is right for us to make a significant investment in natural climate solutions.

The climate crisis is a complex problem and there is no single, easy way to solve it.

I am hopeful that the committee will take up and recommend that these natural capitalist solutions are eligible for sequestration credits under 45Q.