Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring our attention to an increasingly urgent problem: ocean acidification. About 25 percent of manmade carbon dioxide emissions are absorbed by our oceans. This is the great carbon sink, which helps buffer the amount of CO<INF>2</INF> in our atmosphere. This absorption is making our waters more acidic, which has a damaging effect on the ability of shellfish to build their shells. Ocean acidification has already cost the United States shellfish industry millions in lost profits and jobs. I am deeply concerned because the Chesapeake Bay has been identified as a main hotspot for rapid ocean acidification. Nitrogen pollution from agricultural and sewage runoff into the bay are key culprits exacerbating the effects of acidification. The clearest solution to address this problem is to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emissions entering our waters. Therefore, I ask my colleagues to stand with the Safe Climate Caucus in supporting efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. We need to support the EPA's proposed carbon rules for power plants, and we need to protect our ecosystems, and we need to protect the long- term viability of our coastal economies. ____________________”