“Thank you very, very much. I appreciate this opportunity to participate with you.

“I want to congratulate Chairwoman Kathy Castor, Chairman Frank Pallone, and other committees who are holding hearings on climate change. This clearly is one of the most, if not the most, important issue confronting our global community. And the President’s retreat from leadership on this issue is very, very unfortunate and dangerous, I think.

“Tomorrow, we’re going to pass H.R. 9, the Climate Action Now Act, that has been introduced by Chairwoman Castor. We believe it’s going to pass handily, as it should, and [we will] send it to the Senate.

“And, as it’s been said, it precludes us from withdrawing from [the Paris Climate Agreement]. We need to stay in Paris, in the agreement, because it states the global objective that we need to keep our country safe, our globe safe, our economies moving, and maintain an environment in which people can be healthy, and survive, and grow.

“Climate change, as I said, is one of the greatest threats we face as a nation and as inhabitants of this planet. This is a first step, and we’re committed to taking serious action, and we’re starting with today’s bill to prevent the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement. I said ‘today,’ we’ll start considering today and we’ll pass it tomorrow.

“If we leave the Paris Agreement, we will be the only nation not to participate. That makes no sense. It sends a very, very negative message. That agreement was forged, in no small part, due to the leadership from the United States of America. We should be leading this global effort, not withdrawing from it. It’s crucial not only to public health and national security, but also to our economic competitiveness, as I said.

“H.R. 9 is a first step to get Congress off the sidelines and back into the game when it comes to beating the challenges posed by this threat. As Chairwoman Kathy Castor said: ‘This is not only a pragmatic issue, it is a moral issue for us.’

“It follows some 30 hearings by our committees on climate change and the creation of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, which is chaired by Representative Castor.

“So, I look forward to its passage tomorrow. I look forward to the Senate taking this up. I believe that and I certainly hope that a majority of the Members of the United States Senate understand how critical this issue is to address climate change in an effective way. And I think if it’s put on the Floor, it will pass.

“So, I thank the League of Conservation Voters, I thank Ceres, I thank others who have been participating in this, and I congratulate both Chairwoman Kathy Castor and Chairman Frank Pallone. I want to make clear that Speaker Pelosi and I feel this is one of the most important issues that we need to pursue. So, thank you very much, and I appreciate this opportunity to participate.”