Political Quotes

“I am here today for the 111th time in my ``Time to Wake Up'' series urging this body to wake up to climate change. It is happening all around us, and it is happening right now, not in some distant future. The warnings of what is to come if we fail to act are sobering. Congress has the ability and responsibility to change the course we are on, but we can't do it until Senate Republicans step up and start debating real solutions. Smart climate policy can align with conservative values--conservative values, such as prudence in the face of risks, protection of property rights and individual liberty, and market-based solutions for solving problems. Senator Schatz and I have proposed a fee on carbon emissions, correcting a market failure that currently allows major emitters to pollute for free while forcing regular citizens to bear the physical and financial burden. Even if you are a tea-partier, why would you want a big special interest to be able to distort the energy market and make regular people pay the price for the harm they cause? Other than special interest politics, it makes no sense. This market incentive would work. It would reduce emissions. A recent report on our bill shows it will reduce carbon emissions 45 percent by 2030, more than the President's Clean Power Plan does. It will also generate significant revenue--over $2 trillion over 10 years--to return to taxpayers. With $2 trillion, you can lower a lot of tax rates.…”