Bill Pascrell: “I have a great deal of respect for the ranking member's intellect and integrity, as well as the chairman, in working…”

“I have a great deal of respect for the ranking member's intellect and integrity, as well as the chairman, in working through this rule. But it is simply disgraceful that while the President of the United States, our President, was in Paris this week to unite the world against the growing threat of climate change, this House chose to take up this particular legislation that would undermine the transition to cleaner power sources. These irresponsible bills put the American people at risk by exposing them to the dangers of carbon pollution, further exacerbating the negative impacts of climate change and putting our natural resources in jeopardy. While some of my friends choose to deny solid scientific evidence, more than 12,000 peer-reviewed scientific studies are in agreement: Climate change is real, and humans are largely responsible by releasing large amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere from burning fossil fuels to produce energy. But this is the most embarrassing part for our country: that this House is ignoring the scientific and national security community, which has long recognized the national security threat climate change poses for future generations. The longer term consequences of failing to act to address climate change may add further instability in regions that are already teetering on the edge of crisis.…”