Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi joined Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Congressional Democrats, the League of Conservation Voters and Climate Power for a press event at the House Triangle, highlighting critical provisions in the Build Back Better Act that combat the climate crisis, address environmental justice and invest in America’s clean energy future.  Below are the Speaker’s remarks:

 

Speaker Pelosi.  Thank you, Tina.  Thank you, League of Conservation Voters for getting us to the place we are now.

 

You've heard me say again and again: we all have our goals, our vision, our plans, our knowledge.  And we can only do so much with our inside mobilization – maneuvering.  The outside mobilization makes all the difference in the world.  So, thank you, League of Conservation Voters and other groups, who have been part of mobilizing opinion and organizing people across the country to save our planet.

 

I'm honored to be here with our Distinguished Chair of the House Democratic Caucus, Mr. Jeffries; to be here with Mr. Horsford of Nevada, a leader on this issue.  But, also with three Members that I was honored to be with in Glasgow: Suzanne Bonamici, Suzanne Bonamici, as you just heard; Mike Levin, I don’t know if you've heard from him yet, but you will; and Veronica Escobar.  

 

When we were there, people were very glad that ‘America was back,’ as President Biden said.  They were pleased that the bill – the other bill – had passed, that had passed the House, but they're very, very eager about this bill, which makes it happen for us in terms of preserving the planet.  And, doing so by lowering costs for families, by reducing pollution by 50 percent by 2030, by creating good-paying union jobs – and to do so with equity, with fairness.  To Build Back Better, to Build Back Better.  Over – about half a trillion dollars in this legislation to protect the planet.  

 

It's a health issue: clean air, clean water for our children.  It's a jobs issue: making America preeminent, good-paying green jobs.  It's also a national security issue, because competition for habitat and, and resources resulting from drought and, you know, all of the challenge of natural disasters springing from the climate crisis.  And, it is a moral issue, if you believe as I do that this is God's creation and we have a moral obligation to be good stewards.  But even if you don't share that view, religiously, we all share it morally – that we have a responsibility to future generations.  

 

So, again, thank you, League of Conservation Voters, all the organizations who are making the strength of this, the mobilization of the American people.  And, you know, it's fabulous, it's great, it's big, but it's a good start.  We have more to do.  So, I look forward to working with all of you: inside maneuvering, outside mobilization.  And we're ready, again, to honor our responsibilities to future generations.  

 

Thank you, League of Conservation Voters.  Now, I'm pleased to yield to Tina.

 

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