Daniel Akaka: “I rise today to support the Climate Stewardship Act of 2003. As a cosponsor of S. 139, I commend Senators Lieberman and…”

“I rise today to support the Climate Stewardship Act of 2003. As a cosponsor of S. 139, I commend Senators Lieberman and McCain for their bipartisan efforts to craft an important first step in addressing the serious issue of climate change. As was mentioned by Senator Lieberman, Hawaii, a State in the Pacific, is certainly subject to climate change. I also support the proposed amendment which establishes an emissions reporting database, provides climate change research grants, and requires a freeze on current levels of greenhouse gas emissions using a cap and trade system. I compliment Senators Lieberman and McCain for their continued leadership on this issue. The United States makes up less than 5 percent of the world's population, but releases the largest amount of greenhouse gases of any country. The U.S. accounts for roughly 25 percent of the world's global emissions. In 2001, the National Research Council conducted a study on greenhouse gases at the request of the Bush administration. The council reported that concentrations of greenhouse gases are increasing as a result of human activities.”