As Prepared For Delivery 

“Vice President Gore, thank you for coming before the Committee to testify today and for your longstanding leadership on the issue of climate change.  As your testimony has made clear, climate change is a pressing issue for the United States—for our environmental and economic stability; our energy security and independence; and ultimately our national security.  We cannot afford to continue dragging our feet on global action to address this multi-faceted problem.  I am confident that the Obama administration knows the importance of playing a leadership role in the run-up to Copenhagen, and, equally important, intends to collaborate closely with our friends and allies.  I have been deeply impressed by the increasing number of Americans, including many in my home state of Wisconsin, who are not only calling attention to this problem in their communities and beyond, but also working to be part of the solution.  

“As chairman of the Africa subcommittee, I am concerned that the impacts of climate change will be the harshest on those countries least responsible for and least able to escape its effects.  In many of these countries, rapid environmental changes are exacerbating droughts, intensifying famine, and even contributing to conflict over scarce resources.  Addressing the capabilities of the poorest countries to adapt to the impacts of climate change must be a central focus of the upcoming United Nations negotiations and I look forward to hearing your thoughts today on how to ensure that is the case.

“Finally, I believe that we here in Congress also have an important role to play.  In conjunction with the decisions to be made in Copenhagen at the end of the year, we must act immediately to require mandatory reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.  Though climate change presents one the of most complicated domestic and international policy challenges of our time, it also brings with it tremendous opportunity for a new and brighter future.  This includes the potential to create millions of new jobs, revitalize the economy both here at home and abroad, and forge strong partnerships across the globe.”