Political Quotes

“I thank my colleague, the Senator from Rhode Island. In Hawaii, we understand the importance of caring for our planet. The Native Hawaiian community embraced the idea of ``malama `aina,'' a respect for and responsibility to care for the land in a way that protects our environment for future generations. That is why Hawaii has led the way in enacting measures to fight climate change and safeguard our natural resources. In the last few years alone, Hawaii has set ambitious goals to move to 100-percent renewable energy and become carbon neutral. We were the first State in the country to commit to meeting the objectives of the Paris climate agreement. In contrast, the Trump administration has spent the last year and a half disparaging the idea of protecting our land and natural resources. Donald Trump has taken action after action to prioritize the interests of his supporters in the fossil fuel industry at the expense of our environment. The President filled his administration with appointees who refuse to accept the realities of climate change. He named two Environmental Protection Agency Administrators--Scott Pruitt and Andrew Wheeler--who don't even believe in the EPA's mission of protecting the air we breathe and the water we drink. Administration officials have weakened rules that regulate pollution and protections for our natural resources. These actions have led to lawsuits by groups who embrace ``malama `aina'' and seek to protect our environment.…”