During visit, McKibben will advocate for Green New Deal legislation and the need for oversight hearings on the latest climate science and the historic climate denial of oil companies
WASHINGTON , DC — Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD-8) is bringing renowned environmentalist, author, and educator Bill McKibben as his guest to tonight’s State of the Union Address.
Statement from McKibben:
“Given the latest climate science and science-fiction-like weather worldwide, I’m thrilled to attend my first State of the Union speech this week as guest of climate activist and Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin. Congressman Raskin — like me — believes the House should move forward rapidly with passage of a Green New Deal bill.
“I also look forward to multiple House hearings on the staggering financial costs of climate change to states and localities, the current status of scientific data on climate change, and the legal and moral responsibility of the oil companies for our current predicament.
“I look forward to discussing these matters and others as I spend time today with Congressman Raskin and a get the chance to meet new legislators and get reacquainted with veteran lawmakers.”
Raskin made the announcement of McKibben’s attendance at the SOTU speech last week with this statement:
“I have been galvanized about climate change ever since I read Bill’s first book, The End of Nature. He has been a friend of mine since college, but that book totally shocked me. I’ve understood that climate change is not an issue, but the whole context in which we need to decide every other issue, whether it is infrastructure, trade policy, transportation, or agriculture. I’m delighted Bill is joining me at the State of the Union and hope that together we can sound the alarm about the true national and civilizational emergency that demands our attention. It is an imperative to overcome our political divisions and mobilize the whole country and the nations of the world to overcome our carbon addiction and enact pragmatic renewable energy policies that will save us from rising oceans, cataclysmic weather events, drought and floods, and all the traumas of the era of climate change.”
CONTACT:
Denise Robbins, Communications Director, denise@chesapeakeclimate.org, 608-620-8819
Mike Tidwell, Director, mtidwell@chesapeakeclimate.org, 240-460-5838
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