WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Capps released the following statement regarding President Bush’s speech on global warming:

“President Bush’s remarks today on global warming continued his troubling pattern of kicking the can down the road when it comes to addressing the challenging problems facing our nation and the world.  For nearly seven and a half years the Bush Administration has ignored the will of the American people and overwhelming scientific evidence on global warming by refusing to even acknowledge the problem.  He continued that pattern today. 

“President Bush’s announcement that he now supports an “intermediate goal” for reducing greenhouse gas emissions but he will not be putting forward any specific proposal for meeting this goal is more inaction on an issue that demands our immediate attention.  Instead of finally providing leadership, the President has opted to sit idly by for the remainder of his term and pass the problem on to his successor.

“Given the serious threat posed by global warming we can’t afford to indulge the President’s irresponsible approach to this challenging problem.  Congress can and must act now to provide the leadership and solutions to this grave problem that the President is unwilling or unable to address. 

“The Democratic-led Congress has already taken important steps to reduce global warming pollution, enacting historic legislation to make vehicles more fuel efficient and reduce pollution just last year.  The Democratic Congress has also passed legislation to encourage the use of clean, renewable energy sources and to repeal lavish taxpayer funded subsidies to oil and gas companies; unfortunately, President Bush and his Republican allies in Congress have opposed this common sense move.  Congress will continue to provide leadership on the issue of global warming as we pursue other legislative options to reduce greenhouse gasses.”

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Pictured above: (center) Congresswoman Capps meets with Central Coast firefighters to discuss emergency preparedness.