Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, today I rise in opposition to Mr. Perry's amendment which would strike language that requires the Department of Defense to compile a report on the vulnerabilities of military installations and combatant commander requirements resulting from climate change. As we heard earlier today, this language passed by voice vote on a bipartisan basis during our markup in committee. Increased maritime access to the Arctic, rising sea levels, desertification, increases in natural disasters, damage to existing infrastructure, and other effects of climate change are drivers of geopolitical instability and degrade the security of the United States. We would be remiss in our efforts to protect our national security if we do not fully account for the risk climate change poses to our bases, our readiness, and to the fulfillment of our Armed Forces mission. This is about a report. Let's get the information. This is why I believe we have bipartisan support within the committee. We must incorporate environmental factors in our threat assessments and contingency planning to ensure the long-term operational viability of our missions and the safety of our men and women in uniform.”