On the recordJune 10, 2015
The sciences and the facts don't lie. Congress has stood here for too long debating the truth about climate change. What is there to debate? More than 12,000 peer-reviewed scientific studies are in agreement. Climate change is real, and humans are significantly to blame. For those of you keeping track at home, there are zero peer-reviewed scientific studies that state the opposite. As we continue to harm the environment, we are ultimately hurting ourselves and human health. In the movie ``Birdman,'' it was written: ``A thing is a thing, not what is said of that thing.'' I feel the need to remind my colleagues that climate change is a real thing, regardless of what is said of that climate change thing; just because you don't want to believe it doesn't make climate change any less real. It is rapidly becoming a threatening crisis in public health. As the planet warms, sea levels rise and lead to increased floods. Droughts are more frequent and intense. Heat waves and hurricanes are more severe. Climate change makes existing diseases and conditions worse, but it also helps introduce new pests and pathogens into communities. Respiratory allergies and diseases are becoming more prevalent because of increased pollen, molds, air pollution, and dust. Higher concentrations of these particles in the air cause severe breathing problems and lead to heart disease, asthma attacks, inflammation, and lung cancer.…
