Speeches
Pelosi Salutes Goldman Environmental Prize Winners
04/26/2007
“It is a pleasure to join you once
again to honor the recipients of the Goldman Environmental
Prize.
“Thank you to Richard Goldman who,
with his late wife Rhoda, has been a passionate leader in the human rights and
environmental movement. Richard, it is due to your leadership and creativity
that we have the opportunity to honor these champions of the environment
today.
“Thank you to the Sierra Club and
the Conservation Fund for their help in arranging this wonderful event. With
their leadership, generations to come will enjoy the majestic beauty of our
earth.
“It is with wonder and awe at the
tremendous accomplishments and incredible bravery that I join you today to
salute the Goldman Prize winners.
“Their conviction and courage are
an inspiration. In the face of overwhelming odds, sometimes even putting their
own lives at risk, they stand up for their communities, for justice, and for the
environment.
“In
“By fighting against deforestation
and destructive dam-building, uncontrolled logging and illegal pipeline
construction, poaching, and over-fishing, these individuals are making a
difference not only in their communities and countries, but in the lives of
individuals across the world.
“Here in Congress, my Democratic
colleagues and I are fighting to ensure that the
“To that end, this Congress is
committed to fighting for cleaner air, cleaner water, and the preservation of
natural resources and threatened wildlife. As stewards of the Earth, we must
take ownership of our actions and responsibility for health of the planet.
Future generations will depend on the decisions that we make today, which is why
I created a Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and the
‘Green the Capitol’ program.
“The Select Committee will address
the critical issue of global warming by charting a new direction for our
nation’s energy policy, focusing on the development of clean and renewable
energies, improved energy efficiency, and the reduction of greenhouse gas
emissions. The ‘Green the Capitol’ program will promote energy conservation and
sustainability and demonstrate that Congress can lead by example to reduce
energy consumption and waste.
“With your courage and passion
serving as inspiration, House Democrats will continue to promote policies that
protect the environment. It is our responsibility to the global community and
to future generations to act before it is too late.
“Thank you to my colleagues from
the House for joining us here to honor such talented and brilliant individuals.
I know I speak for all of us when I thank you for your commitment to a better environment and a better
future.”