Speeches
Pelosi Speech at G8 Speakers’ Conference in Berlin
09/08/2007
Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi attended the G8
Speakers' Conference annual meeting in Berlin, Germany, where she delivered a
speech on Saturday on two critical issues which she said " must remain at
the top of the priority list for our countries and our legislatures: the global
economy and global warming." The G8
Speakers' Conference annual meeting is a conference of the heads of the
legislative bodies of G8 nations.
During the speech, Pelosi also touted the House passage of
bipartisan comprehensive energy legislation.
She said the bill "contains solutions as local as our
neighborhoods, where green jobs will be created, and as global as the planet,
by directing the President to engage constructively in international
negotiations on climate change and providing explicit direction on how he
should do so."
On Friday, Pelosi met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
“President Lammert, thank you for your invitation to
participate in this conference of legislative leaders. It is a personal privilege for me to join you
here at my first such meeting as Speaker of the House of Representatives. It is special for me to do this in
“We gather today as representatives of more than 850 million
people around the world, selected by our fellow legislators to preside over our
legislative chambers. We have in common
our commitment to doing the people’s business, and come together as experts in
the give and take of the legislative process.
“I have watched with interest the activities of the G8 and
would particularly like to commend the G8 for its commitment to
“When I was sworn in as Speaker earlier this year, I called
for, quote, “a new
“It is in pursuit of that goal – to ensure that
“I am pleased that our agenda includes two interlinked
issues that must remain at the top of the priority list for our countries and
our legislatures: the global economy and global warming.
“Today, driven by a new technological revolution, national
markets are being transformed into global networks of finance, production, and
distribution. Markets – for goods, money, and even labor – are integrating
across borders beyond the reach of national legislative bodies to impact on
their own.
“Globalization and the opening of markets have often
resulted in lower prices for consumers and brought opportunities for a better
life for millions of people around the planet.
“But in many cases, the benefits of globalization have
disproportionately flowed to the most affluent and powerful, while the
burdensome costs have been shouldered by the ordinary citizen – both in
developed and less developed nations.
“The workers of our countries have played an essential role
in building this global economy. Our job is to assure that they have
opportunities that are fair and sustainable, forging international consensus on
the values on which our economic policy must be built. We must recognize that a strong middle class
is vital to a democracy.
“As parliamentarians, we must work together to expand the
benefits of globalization to all people of the world, and lessen its harmful
impacts. In particular, as
representatives of some of the great democracies of the world, where the power
of the state is derived from the people themselves, we must agree that workers
rights, consumer protections and environmental safeguards are as enforceable as
the protection of economic interests of investors.
“We must also ensure that our trading partners play by the
rules and uphold their responsibility to their international obligations.
Nowhere is this more necessary than in protecting and enforcing the
intellectual property rights of entrepreneurs, who are the backbone of our
economy.
“For that reason, I was particularly pleased when the G8
launched the Heiligendamm process in June, along with the leaders of
“The elections of 2006 changed the shape of American
politics, and enhanced the role of the Congress in shaping trade policy.
“As it says in the United States Constitution, quote, “The
Congress shall have power to…regulate commerce with foreign nations…” The Democratic majority in Congress is
asserting this prerogative, and forging a new bipartisan consensus on
trade.
“As I referenced earlier, worker protections are fundamental
component of American law. Democrats are
insisting they similarly be included as a core principle of international trade
policy, not as an appendix or afterthought.
The same holds true for environmental standards, which also have
worldwide implications.
“Already, Congress has secured from the Bush Administration
changes to free trade agreements negotiated by the Executive Branch. And for the first time, enforceable, basic
labor rights and environmental standards will be included in the core text of
our free trade agreements.
“In order to succeed in this new global economy, it is
necessary to move beyond the stale arguments of protectionism versus free
trade.
“
“We believe that
“And in so doing, we are preparing our citizens, our
economies, and our environment for the future.
“With our Innovation Agenda, much of which was just signed
into law by the President, we make serious and sustained investments in
research and development, and promote the public-private partnerships that will
develop high-risk high-reward ideas into marketable technologies.
“We recognize that in a globalized, knowledge-based economy,
“Climate change presents a challenge to the survival of our
planet. But it also presents an
opportunity to create a new and green economy.
“Leading the way for the world, the European Union has
created a system for capping and trading carbon emissions, and established
successful, functioning carbon markets that will grow the green economy.
“Investing in a green economy will result in green jobs for
the many blue-collar workers who have been left behind by globalization.
“For example, when a particular steel plant closed in
“And, these types of ventures are not limited to
“As this trend continues, our success will hinge on ensuring
that those who are investing intellectual and physical capital into these types
of endeavors can be confident that their intellectual property rights will be
protected.
“Part of our Innovation Agenda was comprehensive energy
legislation the House passed in August.
It created an Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Worker Training
Program to train a quality workforce for green jobs - such as solar panel manufacturer
and green building construction worker.
Major investments in renewable energy could create over 3 million green
American jobs over 10 years in our neighborhoods, inner cities, and rural
areas, which are focusing on biofuels.
Efforts around the world would similarly result in the creation of
millions more good-paying jobs.
“Our energy legislation also mandates renewable and
alternative sources of energy, reduces greenhouse gases, and declares America’s
energy independence. This bill contains
solutions as local as our neighborhoods, where green jobs will be created, and
as global as the planet, by directing the President to engage constructively in
international negotiations on climate change and providing explicit direction
on how he should do so.
“International action is necessary because, like our
economies, environmental problems have become global. While each of our nations can take
significant steps to slow down global warming, the nations of the world must
work together to forge a strong international agreement to prevent catastrophic
climate change.
“I want to acknowledge the leadership of the countries of
the G8 that participated in the UN climate conference in Vienna last week,
taking a positive step by reaching agreement on rough targets for cutting
emissions. This December, many of the
world’s nations will continue this progress when they meet in Bali to develop a
new protocol for addressing global warming and I am hopeful the United States
will be an active and constructive participant.
“Up until now the United States has not acted with urgency
on this issue. But this indifference is
not shared by most of the American people, or by the new majorities in
Congress. In addition to our sweeping
energy legislation, Democrats have been leading by example, getting our own
house in order by modernizing the 200-year-old United States Capitol to operate
in a carbon neutral way. And so urgent is the need for decisive action
to address climate change and greenhouse gas reduction, I appointed a Select
Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. This year we will enact comprehensive
legislation on energy independence and global warming with the support of
concerned scientists, environmentalists, business and labor, and the
faith-based community, who believe as I do, that the planet is God’s creation
and we have a moral obligation to protect it.
“In 1800, the German writer Jean Paul said, “Berlin is
rather a part of the world than just a city.”
“It is fitting, therefore, that we gather here in Berlin as
concerned citizens of the world determined to work together. In that spirit of cooperation and respect I
bring to this G8 meeting the commitment of the new Congress to a new generation
of discovery and innovation, one that will build fairer and broader economic
growth and international solutions to worldwide environmental threats.
“As a sign of our cooperation let us join together in
expressing our appreciation to President Lammert for his leadership in bringing
us together. To all my fellow parliamentarians thank you for participating in
this timely discussion. I look forward
to continuing our cooperative efforts together.
“Thank you.”