Political Quotes

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I am in wholehearted support of this amendment and this bill. I just wanted to speak briefly on the previous amendment that passed en bloc, which included a provision for which I am responsible. It included the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes are not just mere lakes; they are inland seas, and they contain the greatest source of freshwater on Earth. And despite their size, they are extremely vulnerable to stresses from environmental pollution, ecological alterations, and climate changes. In addition to that, they are a great source of economic development. There are many unanswered research questions regarding the lakes' ecological stability. But there is already significant evidence that the climate of the Great Lakes region is changing: for example, water temperatures have been higher, and the duration of winter ice cover has declined. These changes have a serious impact on the Great Lakes ecosystem--and the goods and services linked to the Lakes. To name just a few of the myriad potential effects: Water temperatures are already rising, and almost all of the climate change scenarios predict further changes in temperature and precipitation. Lakes are very sensitive to climate in terms of the amount of precipitation and evaporation. Precipitation changes are causing variation in water levels; most predictions are for lower levels but some predict higher levels.…”