Tina Smith: “I rise today to join my colleague Senator Whitehouse as he takes to the Senate floor to speak on climate change for the…”

“I rise today to join my colleague Senator Whitehouse as he takes to the Senate floor to speak on climate change for the 219th time. Mr. Whitehouse is the Senate leader on climate change, and his foresight, actions, and determination on this issue are remarkable. I am very proud to join him today. Climate change is a dire threat to our environment and to our children's future, and yet, if we rise to the challenge of responding to climate change, it will offer us major economic opportunity. The clean energy transition is already creating jobs, reducing the cost of generating electricity, clearing the air, and improving our health. The old idea that responding to climate change comes at the expense of the American economy is outdated and inaccurate. The clean energy economy is the economy of the 21st century. We see this every day in Minnesota, which is a national leader in the clean energy transition. The climate is rapidly changing, and these changes are caused by human activities that release greenhouse gases. I know this because it is what science shows us. In Minnesota, we take special pride in the severity of our winters, but Minnesota winter temperatures have increased by 6 degrees since 1970. More than our pride is at stake. Agriculture and forest pests that were once held in check by severe winter cold are now thriving. Summer temperatures are on a pace to make Minnesota as warm as Kansas by the end of the century.…”