BLUMENAUER
of oregon
in the house of representatives
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I submit this letter, which is an
example of an opportunity for a bipartisan climate action.
The Cost of Inaction . . .
The effects of climate change in the world's most
vulnerable regions present a serious threat to American
national security interests. As a matter of risk management,
the United States must work with international partners,
public and private, to address this impending crisis.
Potential consequences are undeniable, and the cost of
inaction, paid for in lives and valuable U.S. resources, will
be staggering. Washington must lead on this issue now.
Countries least able to adapt to or mitigate the impacts of
climate change will suffer the most, but the resulting crises
will quickly become a burden on U.S. priorities as well. Both
the Department of Defense and the State Department have
identified climate change as a serious risk to American
security and an agent of instability. Without precautionary
measures, climate change impacts abroad could spur mass
migrations, influence civil conflict and ultimately lead to a
more unpredictable world. In fact, we may already be seeing
signs of this as vulnerable communities in some of the most
fragile and conflict-ridden states are increasingly displaced
by floods, droughts and other natural disasters. Protecting
U.S. interests under these conditions would progressively
exhaust American military, diplomatic and development
resources as we struggle to meet growing demands for
emergency international engagement.
It is in our national interest to confront the risk that
climate change in vulnerable regions presents to American
security. We must offer adaptive solutions to communities
currently facing climate-driven displacement, support
disaster risk reduction measures and help mitigate potential
future
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impacts through sustainable food, water and energy systems.
Advancing stability in the fare of climate change threats
will promote resilient communities, reliable governance and
dependable access to critical resources.
We, the undersigned Republicans, Democrats and
Independents, implore U.S. policymakers to support American
security and global stability by addressing the risks of
climate change in vulnerable nations. Their plight is our
fight; their problems are our problems. Even as we face
budgetary austerity and a fragile economic recovery, public
and private sectors must work together to meet the funding
demands of this strategic investment in internationally-
backed solutions. Effective adaptation and mitigation efforts
in these counties will protect our long-standing security
interests abroad.
Madeleine Albright, Secretary of State 1997-2001; Richard
Armitage, Deputy Secretary of State 2001-05; Samuel
Berger, National Security Advisor 1997-2001; Sherwood
Boehlert, US Congressman (R-NY) 1983-2007; Carol
Browner, Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency
1993-2001; Michael Castle, US Congressman (R-DE) 1993-
2011, Governor (R-DE) 1985-92; GEN Wesley Clark, USA
(Ret), Fmr. Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO;
William Cohen, Secretary of Defense 1997-2001, US
Senator (R-ME) 1979-97; Lt Gen Lawrence P. Farrell,
Jr., USAF (Ret.), Fmr. Deputy Chief Of Staff for Plans
and Programs, HQ USAF; BG Gerald E. Galloway, Jr.,
P.E., Ph.D., USA (Ret.), Fmr. Dean of the Academic
Board, US Military Academy; Wayne Gilchrest, US
Congressman (R-MD) 1991-2009; James Greenwood, US
Congressman (R-PA) 1993-2005; VADM Lee F. Gunn, USN
(Ret.), Fmr. Inspector General of the Department of the
Navy; Lee Hamilton, US Congressman (D-IN) 1965-99, Co-
Chair, PSA Advisory Board; Gary Hart, US Senator (D-CO)
1975-87; Rita E. Hauser, Chair, International Peace
Institute; Carla Hills, US Trade Representative 1989-
93; Thomas Kean, Governor (R-N) 1982-90, 9/11
Commission Chair; GEN Paul J. Kern, USA (Ret), Fmr.
Commanding General, US Army Materiel Command; Richard
Leone, President, The Century Foundation 1989-2011;
Joseph I. Lieberman, US Senator (I-CT) 1989-2013;
Richard G. Lugar, US Senator (R-IN) 1977-2013; VADM
Dennis V. McGinn, USN, (Ret.), Fmr. Deputy Chief of
Naval Operations for Warfare Requirements and Programs;
Donald McHenry, US Ambassador to the UN 1979-81;
Constance Morella, US Congresswoman (R-MD) 1987-2003,
US Ambassador to OECD 2003-07; Sam Nunn, US Senator (D-
GA) 1972-96; John Porter, US Congressman (R-IL) 1980-
2001; Tom Ridge, Secretary of Homeland Security 2003-
05, Governor (R-PA) 1995-2001; ADM Gary Roughead, USN
(Ret.), Fmr. Chief of Naval Operations; Warren Rudman,
US Senator (R-NH) 1980-92, Fmr. Co-Chair, PSA Advisory
Board; Christopher Shays, US Congressman (R-CT) 1987-
2009; George Shultz, Secretary of State 1982-89;
Olympia J. Snowe, US Senator (R-ME) 1995-2013; GEN
Gordon R. Sullivan, USA (Ret.), Fmr. Chief of Staff, US
Army, Chairman, CNA Military Advisory Board; Timothy E.
Wirth, US Senator (D-CO) 1987-93; Frank Wisner,
Undersecretary of State 1992-93; R. James Woolsey,
Director of Central Intelligence 1993-95, Co-founder,
US Energy Security Council; GEN Anthony Zinni, USMC
(Ret.), Fmr. Commander in Chief, US Central Command.
____________________