In Northwest Oregon, the acidic ocean, droughts, extreme weather events, raging wildfires, and hazardous smoke increasingly threaten our environment, economy, and public health. Congress must take meaningful action to confront the climate crisis and, because it is exacerbating social, racial, and economic inequalities, we need a just transition with the creation of good-paying jobs in a clean energy economy.
Speaker Pelosi appointed me to the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, which was tasked with producing a bold, comprehensive, science-driven Climate Action Plan to achieve net-zero emissions no later than mid-century and net-negative thereafter. Our Climate Action Plan includes more than 500 pages of detailed, science-based policy recommendations that cover each sector of the economy and serves as a roadmap for Congress. I have long been an environmental leader in Congress, serving as the top Democrat on the Science, Space, and Technology Environment Subcommittee, and as co-chair of both the bipartisan Oceans Caucus and the bipartisan Estuary Caucus. The House unanimously passed my COAST Research Act to strengthen research and monitoring of ocean and coastal acidification and help communities adapt. I’ve also championed legislation to help capture the power of the ocean as a way toreduce carbon pollution, I’ve secured increased funding and resources for NOAA to address harmful algal blooms and hypoxia that plague the Oregon coast, and I’ve helped pass two versions of the Save Our Seas Act, legislation to clean up marine debris. The House also passed my bipartisan marine energy bill to support our transition to a 100 percent clean energy economy. Investing in a clean energy economy will continue to create good-paying jobs, build more resilient communities, and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.
The climate crisis is an existential threat and a national emergency, and I will continue to work in Congress for meaningful steps to reduce emissions and defend our planet for generations to come.
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