On the recordJuly 18, 2018
The scientists have spoken. Climate change is happening, human behavior is contributing to it, and it is a long- term threat to our prosperity and our national security. But climate change is also the ultimate, very large problem that moves very slowly, which makes it particularly poorly matched with the political system we have today. And what causes me great concern is when wrongheaded resolutions which I oppose--and I oppose the rule associated with it--are put to the floor of this House to discourage this House from proposing the most effective and most successful way of dealing with climate change, which is to put a price on carbon. We can take all of those revenues and return them to the American people. We can wall them off from government spending. There is a whole variety of approaches we could take to ensure that the revenues generated from taxing carbon pollution are returned to the American people. As a Congress, wouldn't we rather tax pollution than tax hardworking Americans? That is what a carbon tax will do. I encourage my colleagues to reject this resolution and allow us to have the real debate the American people deserve on this floor. Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).
