MR. PRESIDENT, I RISE TODAY TO AGAIN JOIN MY COLLEAGUES TO SPEAK TO THE NEED FOR BOLD BIPARTISAN ACTION TO ADDRESS CLIMATE WARMING. THROUGHOUT THE PAST YEAR, WE HAVE RECEIVED WARNING AFTER WARNING ABOUT THE WARMING, ABOUT THE DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES OF CLIMATE CHANGE THAT ARE COMING MUCH SOONER THAN ACTUALLY SOME PEOPLE EXPECTED. I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST GOT TO THE SENATE, I WAS PART OF THE ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE, AND WE HAD MILITARY LEADERS COME TO SPEAK. 

WE HAD SCIENTISTS. AND THEY BASICALLY PREDICTED EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE SEEN COMING FROM THE WILDFIRES IN THE WEST TO THE RISING OCEAN LEVELS, TO WEIRD WEATHER EVENT, LIKE MORE TORNADOES, TO THE TYPE OF FLOODING THAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE MIDWEST, AS WE SPEAK, AND THE TYPE OF FLOODING WE'VE SEEN IN FLORIDA AS A RESULT OF HURRICANES. THEY ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF THIS. AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE DON'T SEE THIS AS ENVIRONMENT VERSUS ECONOMICS. IF WE DOUGH NOTHING -- IF WE DO NOTHING, THE ECONOMICS ARE BAD. IF WE DO NOTHING, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE INCREASE LIKE WE HAVE NATIONWIDE, A 50% INCREASE IN THE LAST TEN YEARS. IF WE DO SOMETHING AND WE DO IT RIGHT AND WE DO IT SMARTLY, WE'RE GOING TO SEE A BUNCH OF NEW JOBS IN THE FIELD OF GREEN ENERGY. WE'RE GOING TO SEE MORE SOLAR. WE'RE GOING TO SEE MORE WIND. WE’RE GOING FOR SEE A WHOLE NEW INDUSTRY OF AN ELECTRIC GRID AND THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO TO BRING DOWN GREENHOUSE GASES AND BE A LEADER ONCE AGAIN IN ENERGY FOR THE WORLD. LAST OCTOBER THE UNITED NATIONS INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUED A SPECIAL REPORT EXPLAINING THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. 

IF THE EARTH WARMS 1.5 DEGREES CELSIUS ABOVE HISTORIC GLOBAL TEMPERATURE LEVELS DATING BACK TO BEFORE THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION STARTED. THAT REPORT PREDICTED THAT IN JUST OVER 20 YEARS, WE COULD SEE EVEN MORE OF WHAT WE'VE SEEN THIS LAST YEAR. PERSISTENT DROUGHT, FOOD SHORTAGES, WORSENING WILDFIRE, AND INCREASED FLOODING, DAMAGE THAT COULD COST AN ESTIMATED $54 TRILLION. AND THEN IN NOVEMBER, THE FOURTH NATIONAL CLIMATE ASSESSMENT ISSUED A SPECIAL REPORT THAT CONCLUDED THAT WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT GLOBAL EFFORTS TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, CLIMATE CHANGE WILL THREATEN HEALTH AND SAFETY FOR PEOPLE, SLOW ECONOMIC GROWTH, DAMAGE OUR NATION'S INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW IN THE MIDWEST, AND IMPEDE THE PRODUCTION OF ENERGY AND FOOD. AND FINALLY, IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE RELEASED A REPORT ON THE EFFECTS OF A CHANGING CLIMATE TO U.S. MILITARY INSTALLATIONS AND OPERATIONAL VIABILITY. 

ALL OF THESE EXPERTS -- YES, SCIENTISTS, YES, MILITARY LEADERS -- HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT INACTION IS NOT AN OPTION FOR OUR ECONOMY, FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT, FOR OUR COUNTRY, AND FOR OUR WORLD. MILITARY AND SECURITY EXPERTS HAVE REPEATEDLY REMINDED US THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS A THREAT TO OUR NATIONAL SECURITY. YOU LOOK AT THE EXAMPLES OF REFUGEES COMING UP FROM AFRICA, PEOPLE WHO USED TO BE SUBSISTENCE FARMERS WHO NO LONGER CAN MAKE A LIVING. THEY USED TO EKE BY, IT WASN'T EASY, BUT NOW THEY ARE MOVING UP, THEY ARE MOVING TO EUROPE. THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING. AND I'M FROM A STATE OF REFUGEES. REFUGEES ARE A MAJOR PART OF OUR ECONOMY. BUT WE KNOW THAT WE WANT TO HAVE SENSIBLE REFUGEE POLICY AND THAT WE CAN HAVE -- CAN'T HAVE SUDDENLY DROVES OF PEOPLE MOVING UP BECAUSE OF ENVIRONMENTAL CATASTROPHES THAT ARE GOING ON IN THEIR COUNTRIES, BUT WE'RE GOING TO SEE MORE AND MORE AND MORE OF THAT. AND AT SOME POINT, WE HAVE TO REALIZE, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE WANT THRIVING ECONOMIES IN AFRICA, WE WANT THRIVING ECONOMIES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, AND CLIMATE CHANGE IS GOING TO BE AN IMPEDIMENT TO THAT. EVEN IF YOU WANT TO CLOSE YOUR EYES TO THE REST OF THE WORLD AND PRETEND IT'S NOT HAPPENING, IT'S GOING TO COME KNOCKING AT YOUR DOOR. THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO KEEP HAPPENING IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE. MORE SEVERE WEATHER, HEAT WAVES THAT COULD REDUCE OUR WATER SUPPLY, EXTREME RAINFALL THAT COULD DAMAGE CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, A DECREASE IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY THAT COULD THREATEN IN MY STATE ALONE A $20 BILLION AG INDUSTRY WHICH RANKS FIFTH IN THE NATION. WE CANNOT CLOSE OUR EYES TO CLIMATE CHANGE BECAUSE IT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW AROUND US. THAT IS WHY IT IS ALL THE MORE DISAPPOINTING THAT THE SENATE HAS FAILED TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE. I HAVE BEEN HERE FOR THESE CLOSE CALLS. WE WERE SO CLOSE WHEN I FIRST GOT TO THE SENATE TO GETTING A RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY STANDARD IN PLACE NATIONWIDE. 

I HAD A BILL THAT WOULD HAVE DONE THAT, COMBINED WITH A RENEWABLE FUEL STANDARD. I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A GOOD WAY TO BRING PEOPLE IN FROM BOTH PARTIES, FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, AND FROM ALL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. WHAT I REMEMBER, I REMEMBER STANDING IN THIS CHAMBER IN THE BACK WITH SENATOR CANTWELL BEMOANING THE FACT THAT WE WERE JUST ONE VOTE SHORT OF GETTING IT DONE. THAT WAS OVER A DECADE AGO. MEANWHILE, YES, STATES ARE TAKING ACTION. MY STATE, WITH A REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR AT THE TIME, TIM PAWLENTY, WAS ABLE TO GET A RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY STANDARD IN PLACE -- PAWLENTY, SOMETHING LIKE 25% BY 2020. WE ARE MAKING THAT. WE WOULDN'T HAVE MADE IT IF WE HADN'T SET A GOAL WHICH AT THAT TIME SEEMED BOLD. WE DID IT ON A BIPARTISAN BASIS, DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS IN THE LEGISLATURE. POLITICALLY WE COMBINED IT WITH THE RENEWABLE FUEL STANDARD SO WE WOULD GET SOME OF OUR FARMERS AND OTHER PEOPLE ON BOARD. WE HAD TWO PROVISIONS IN THERE, A STRONG RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY STANDARD, A STRONG RENEWABLE FUEL STANDARD WITH A REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR LEADING THE WAY. WHY? WE COULD SEE AHEAD. WE COULD SEE THE EFFECT THAT CLIMATE CHANGE WOULD HAVE ON OUR OUTDOOR ECONOMY. WE COULD SEE THE EFFECT THAT IT WOULD HAVE ON HUNTING AND FISHING AND RECREATION IN OUR STATE. BUT HERE, WHAT HAPPENED? WE BARELY MISSED DOING SOMETHING ON THE RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY STANDARD. THEN PRESIDENT OBAMA GOT ELECTED. WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF A DOWNTURN.

I HAD ACTUALLY HOPED WE WOULD MOVE ON RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY. THE DECISION WAS MADE TO GO WITH CAP AND TRADE. I SUPPORTED CAP AND TRADE. THEN IN THE END DESPITE IT PASSING IN THE HOUSE WE COULDN'T GET THE VOTES IN THE SENATE, IN PART BECAUSE WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF A DOWNTURN. SINCE THEN, WE HAVE DONE A FEW THINGS ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY, WHICH HAVE BEEN GOOD. WE HAVE DONE -- WHICH SECRETARY CHU CALLED THE LOW-HANGING FRUIT. WE HAVE DONE SOME THINGS IN THE FARM BILL WITH CONSERVATION, THE SOD SAVER PROVISION THAT I HAVE WITH SENATOR THUNE, BUT WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING THAT SIGNIFICANTLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE. INSTEAD, THE ADMINISTRATION HAS TAKEN US OUT OF THE INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE CHANGE AGREEMENT, WHICH MEANS WE ARE THE ONLY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD THAT ISN'T IN IT. WHEN THE PRESIDENT FIRST ANNOUNCED THIS, SYRIA AND NICARAGUA ALSO WERE NOT IN IT. NOW THEY ARE. SO THIS IS NOT WHAT LEADERSHIP IS CALLED WHEN WE'RE THE ONLY COUNTRY THAT IS NOT PART OF THIS AGREEMENT. NO, THAT'S NOT WHAT LEADERSHIP IS, AND IT CERTAINLY IMPEDES US BY DOING BUSINESS AROUND THE WORLD WHEN IT COMES TO GREEN ENERGY, WHEN OTHER COUNTRIES CAN GO IN THERE AND SAY WHY ARE YOU GOING TO DO BUSINESS WITH THIS COUNTRY? THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT HAVEN'T SIGNED ON TO THE INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE CHANGE AGREEMENT. THAT HAPPENED. I HAVE HEARD FROM BUSINESS PEOPLE. THAT HAPPENED. THAT'S ONE THING THAT HAPPENED. THE STANDARDS THAT WE HAD IN PLACE COMING OUT OF THE E.P.A. WHEN IT CAME TO GREENHOUSE GASES. THAT WAS A COMPROMISE, WORK DONE OVER YEARS. IT'S NOW ON THE CUTTING ROOM FLOOR BECAUSE THIS ADMINISTRATION WENT BACKWARDS. THE GAS MILEAGE STANDARD, SOMETHING ELSE WE COULD DO.

AGAIN, WE WENT BACKWARDS. AND INSTEAD OF WORKING ON THESE THINGS, COMING UP WITH MORE COMPREHENSIVE LEGISLATION, UNFORTUNATELY OUR COLLEAGUES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE DECIDED YESTERDAY TO PLAY POLITICS BY BRINGING UP THE GREEN NEW DEAL RESOLUTION WITH THE EXPLICIT INTENTION OF TRYING TO CREATE A DIVIDE AND VOTING IT DOWN. YOU KNOW WHAT? THE RESOLUTION, AS I HAVE SAID, IT IS ASPIRATIONAL. IT SETS OUT SOME AUDACIOUS GOALS. THE RESOLUTION -- WE KNOW WE COULDN'T MEET EVERYTHING THAT'S IN THAT RESOLUTION IN TEN YEARS. WHAT HAS IT DONE THAT I THINK IS SO GOOD? IT HAS REIGNITED THE DEBATE ON HOW THE UNITED STATES CAN LEAD THE WAY IN ADDRESSING GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE WHILE BUILDING A CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE THAT BENEFITS AMERICAN BUSINESSES, FACTORIES, AND WORKERS. WE ARE A COUNTRY THAT SET AUDACIOUS GOALS. PUT A MAN ON THE MOON, RIGHT? WIN WORLD WAR II. WE ARE A COUNTRY THAT SETS AUDACIOUS GOALS. AND SOMETIMES IT TAKES US LONGER TO MEET THEM. THAT'S OKAY. BUT WE SEE A PROBLEM AND WE DON'T JUST PUT OUR HEADS DOWN. WE LOOK AHEAD, WE LOOK AT EACH OTHER, AND WE FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO MEET THE CHALLENGE. THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO WITH CLIMATE CHANGE.

AT THE SAME TIME THAT OUR REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES BROUGHT UP THE GREEN NEW DEAL RESOLUTION FOR A VOTE, THEY DECLINED TO CONSIDER THE RESOLUTION OFFERED BY SENATOR CARPER. THAT SIMPLY SAYS THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL, THAT HUMAN ACTIVITY DURING THE LAST CENTURY IS A DOMINANT CAUSE OF THE CLIMATE CRISIS, AND THAT THE UNITED STATES AND CONGRESS SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES OF CLIMATE CHANGE. THE CHALLENGES WE FACE ARE TOO GREAT TO WASTE TIME ON SHOW VOTES AND POLITICAL STUNTS. WE HAVE HEARD FOR YEARS THE THINGS WE CAN DO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. IT'S NOT A ONE APPROACH. IT'S AN ALL-OR-ABOVE APPROACH. BUT WE KNOW, AND I HAVE SEEN THE MODELS, WHAT WE CAN DO TO START BRINGING THE TEMPERATURE DOWN, TO A GOAL, BY THE WAY, INTERNATIONALLY OF 3.6 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. THAT'S A LOT, BUT THAT IS ACTUALLY OUR REALISTIC GOAL RIGHT NOW THAT WE WANT TO STAY UNDER THAT AMOUNT. INSTEAD OF SPENDING TIME DEBATING THESE KINDS OF SHOW RESOLUTIONS, WE SHOULD BE TAKING REAL ACTION TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE. WE NEED A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH THAT WOULD REDUCE GREEN HAS GAS EMISSIONS AND PROMOTE ENERGY-EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES AND HOMEGROWN ENERGY RESOURCES. THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD DO, BECAUSE WHEN SENATOR McCONNELL BROUGHT UP WHAT WAS AN ASPIRATIONAL RESOLUTION TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER, HE DID IT AS A SHOW TO DIVIDE PEOPLE. THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WANT TO DO HERE.

WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE SOME DIFFERENT VIEWS ON THIS, AND WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING IS COMING TOGETHER TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT SOLUTIONS. I BELIEVE, AS I NOTED, THAT WE MUST REINSTATE THE CLEAN POWER PLAN RULES AND THE GAS MILEAGE STANDARDS THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAS REVERSED, ROLLING BACK THE PROGRESS THAT WE HAVE MADE. I ALSO WANT TO TALK TODAY ABOUT MY HOME STATE'S WORK ON THESE ISSUES. I AM PROUD THAT MINNESOTA HAS TAKEN A PROACTIVE AND INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO ENERGY USE AND SUSTAINABILITY, WHICH IS CRITICAL TO ADDRESSING CARBON EMISSIONS AND CLIMATE CHANGE. AS I NOTED THAT 25% ELECTRICITY STANDARD WOULD BE MET AND IS GOING TO BE MET BY 2025, THIS WAS SIGNED INTO LAW, THIS BIPARTISAN BILL BY GOVERNOR PAWLENTY IN 2007. THAT PASSED THE HOUSE BACK THEN -- AND BY THE WAY, THAT'S 2007, RIGHT? SINCE THEN, EVERYTHING WE HAVE LEARNED REINFORCES WHAT WE KNOW, AND THAT IS CLIMATE CHANGE IS HAPPENING. BACK IN 2007, WE HADN'T SEEN THIS BIG PUSH AGAINST DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT. WE HADN'T SEEN ALL THE DARK MONEY THAT WENT IN TO TAKE CARE OF NOT DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT AND TO BACK UP THIS INERTIA THAT WE'RE SEEING, BUT SOMEHOW BACK IN 2007 IN MY STATE, I GUESS WE GOT THROUGH, WE GOT AROUND SOME OF THIS BECAUSE THAT LEGISLATION SIGNED BY A REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR RECEIVED OVERWHELMING BIPARTISAN SUPPORT, PASSING THE MINNESOTA HOUSE BY A VOTE OF 123-10, AND THE MINNESOTA SENATE BY 63-3. EARLIER THIS MONTH, OUR NEW GOVERNOR, GOVERNOR WALLS, ANNOUNCED A PROPOSAL THAT WOULD BUILD ON THAT EARLIER WORK BY SETTING A GOAL OF GENERATING 100% OF THE STATE'S ENERGY FROM CLEAN SOURCES BY 2050, AND YOU HAVE SEEN OTHER GOVERNORS DOING THIS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. I THINK THAT'S GREAT.

AS JUSTICE BRANDEIS ONCE SAID, THE STATES ARE A LABORATORY OF DEMOCRACY. THIS IS A GOOD THING. BUT WHEN WE JUST CAN'T SIT THERE AND EXPECT STATES ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS TO CHANGE THE NATIONAL DIALOGUE, SOME OF THESE THINGS HAVE TO BE DONE BY US IN THIS CHAMBER IN WASHINGTON, D.C. BECAUSE ONCE YOU SET THOSE GOALS, AS WE HAVE SEEN, STARTING WITH THE REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR IN MINNESOTA, MOVING ON THEN TO TWO DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS, WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IS ACTION. XCEL ENERGY, MINNESOTA'S LARGEST UTILITY, EARLY SUPPORTER OF THE ADMINISTRATION'S CLEAN POWER PLAN, THE LAST ADMINISTRATION. THEY ARE OUR ELECTRIC UTILITY, THE BIGGEST ONE IN OUR STATE. THEY RECENTLY ANNOUNCED PLANS TO DELIVER 100% CARBON-FREE ELECTRICITY TO THEIR CUSTOMERS BY 2050. AS PART OF THAT PLEDGE, THEY PLAN TO REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS BY 80% BY 2030 IN THE EIGHT STATES THAT THEY SERVE. THAT'S AN TREK COMPANY, A POWER UTILITY THAT HAS REALIZED THAT THIS IS IN THEIR BEST LONG-TERM INTERESTS AND CERTAINLY THE BEST LONG-TERM INTERESTS OF THEIR CUSTOMERS.

IF ENERGY UTILITIES LIKE XCEL UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO REDUCE OUR USE OF FOSSIL FUELS AND EMBRACE SETTING AMBITIOUS GOALS THAT WILL EVENTUALLY GET US TO 100% CLEAN RENEWABLE ENERGY, THEN SO SHOULD WE AND SO SHOULD THE ADMINISTRATION. WE KNOW THAT ENERGY INNOVATION CAN'T REALLY TAKE ROOT, NOT IN ANY KIND OF SERIOUS WAY, WITHOUT CERTAINTY, STABILITY, AND A CLEAR PATH FORWARD, AND, YES, SOME OF THAT CAN HAPPEN IN THE STATE. THAT'S EXCITING. IT CAN HAPPEN IN OUR BUSINESSES. BUSINESSES IN MINNESOTA LIKE CAR-GO, THE BIGGEST PRIVATE COMPANY IN THE WORLD THAT LOOKS AT THE WORLD AND SEES WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO THEIR INVESTORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE AND HAS JOINED IN AN EFFORT OF A MAJOR BUSINESS TO TAKE THIS ON. SO YES, STATES ARE DOING THINGS AND GOVERNORS ARE DOING THINGS.

YES, ELECTRIC UTILITIES ARE DOING THINGS. SOME OF OUR SMALL ELECTRIC UTILITIES IN MINNESOTA ACTUALLY HAVE STARTED CREATING AN INCENTIVE FOR SOLAR PANELS. ONE OF THE MOST INNOVATIVE ONES WOULD GIVE THEIR CUSTOMERS -- IT'S A VERY SMALL TOWN -- LARGE WATER HEATERS THAT COST ABOUT $1,000 IF THEY WOULD EXTEND -- IN EXCHANGE GET A SOLAR PANEL. SENATOR HOEVEN AND I WORKED ON A BILL TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE IN THIS CHAMBER UNDERSTOOD THAT THESE LARGE WATER HEATERS ARE REALLY HELPFUL IN THE BASEMENTS OF FARMHOUSES AND THEY ARE ACTUALLY MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT. AND THEN THIS UTILITY, A LITTLE ELECTRIC CO-OP, TOOK IT A STEP FORWARD AND ACTUALLY MADE IT YOU COULD GET A FREE WATER HEATER IN EXCHANGE FOR BUYING A LONG-TERM INTEREST IN A SOLAR PANEL. SO IT'S NOT AS EASY WHEN YOU'RE A SMALL ELECTRIC CO-OP. I HAVE A TON OF THEM IN MY STATE. I HAVE WORKED WITH THEM EXTENSIVELY. BUT THEY, TOO, ARE STARTING TO SEE THE FUTURE AND ARE STARTING TO DO THEIR PART.

SO HOW CAN YOU HAVE THIS WHERE BIG BUSINESSES LIKE CAR-GO IN MY STATE, BIG ELECTRIC UTILITIES LIKE XCEL IN MY STATE, LITTLE ELECTRIC CO-OPS, WHEN YOU HAVE GOVERNORS, WHEN YOU HAVE BUSINESSES THAT ARE NOT IN THE ELECTRIC BUSINESS BUT SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THEIR CUSTOMERS AROUND THE WORLD, WHEN YOU HAVE UNIVERSITIES, WHEN YOU HAVE NONPROFITS AND CHURCHES AND SYNAGOGUES AND MOSQUES WANTING TO RETROFIT AND MAKE THEIR PLACE OF WORSHIP MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT, ANOTHER BILL I HAVE WITH SENATOR HOEVEN, WHEN ALL OF THIS IS GOING ON, HOW CAN WE JUST SIT HERE AND DO NOTHING AND INSTEAD HAVE NEGATIVE SHOW VOTES FOR NO REASON AT ALL? WE ARE GOING TO KEEP TALKING ABOUT THIS AND NOT LET IT GO, BUT WHAT WE NEED IS ACTION. WE NEED POLICIES THAT ENCOURAGE REDUCTION IN GREENHOUSE GASES.

WE MUST LEAVE OUR CHILDREN WITH A WORLD THAT IS AS GOOD AS THE ONE THAT WE GOT. THERE'S AN OLD OJIBWA SAYING -- WE HAVE A LOT OF PROUD INDIAN TRIBES IN MINNESOTA -- THAT SAYS YOU MAKE DECISIONS NOT FOR NOW BUT FOR SEVEN GENERATIONS FROM NOW. YOU KNOW WHAT? THAT IS OUR DUTY. BUT GUESS WHAT? WITH CLIMATE CHANGE, IT'S NO LONGER JUST SEVEN GENERATIONS NOW. IT'S FOR THE PAGES THAT ARE SITTING RIGHT HERE BECAUSE THIS IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. THE PREDICTIONS ARE DIRE. I WAS IN FLORIDA JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, AND THEY PREDICT THAT IN A DECADE -- IN DECADES, ONE OUT OF TEN OF THOSE HOMES IS GOING TO BE FLOODED. IN THEIR STATE, ONE OUT OF TEN OF THEIR HOMES. YOU SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN NORFOLK, VIRGINIA. YOU LOOK AT THESE PAGES, AND YOU THINK, THIS IS NOT JUST SEVEN GENERATIONS NOW. THIS IS SEVEN YEARS NOW OR 70 YEARS FROM NOW. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH. IT IS UPON US.

SO IT IS OUR DUTY, OUR CONSTITUTIONAL DUTY AS ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES, TO DO OUR JOBS. IT IS OUR MORAL DUTY TO DO THE RIGHT THING FOR THIS COUNTRY. SO LET'S GET TO WORK AND GET THIS DONE. THANK YOU. I YIELD THE FLOOR.