Amy Klobuchar: “I appreciate the words of my colleague from Virginia, especially his focus on innovation and how it must be a major part…”

“I appreciate the words of my colleague from Virginia, especially his focus on innovation and how it must be a major part of the solution to our climate change problem. As I look around the Chamber and see Senators from Vermont, Virginia, Hawaii, California, we may be 5,000 miles apart, but what unites us today--including the Presiding Officer's home State of Maine--is the focus on climate change and the recognition we are connected by the impact of global climate change. It is time for Congress to wake up and tackle this issue. This is why we are staying up all night tonight to make that major point. The consequences of climate change include rising seas and larger tidal surges for seaside communities, the devastating drought and water shortage we are seeing in California, extreme weather harming the habitat for native animals in Hawaii, but it also impacts the Midwest, which I don't think is the first area of the country people think about where we are seeing climate change problems. We have seen increased potential in my home State of Minnesota for extreme weather wreaking havoc on our local economies, particularly those anchored in forestry and farming. In Minnesota we export about one-third of our agricultural production which contributes significantly to our country's record high agricultural trade surplus of $38 billion. This is a major part of our economy and the second biggest industry in my State.…”