BALTIMORE – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, yesterday took to the floor of the United States Senate to support efforts underway at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) to avert the most disastrous impacts of climate change. Last weekend, Senator Cardin led of delegation of nine other U.S. Senators attending the COP 21 climate negotiations in Paris, France.

An excerpt of his prepared remarks appear below: 

“I was very proud of our delegation consisting of Senators Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Franken (D-Minn.), Markey (D-Mass), Merkley (D-Ore.), Udall (N.M.), Shaheen (D-N.H.), Booker (N.J.) Schatz (H.I.) and Coons (D-Del.). We were impressed that over 150 world leaders were in Paris showing their support for a successful outcome and recognizing the urgency of dealing with this issue.

“Whether we’re talking about our own individual states, and I could talk about the people on Smith Island as they see their island disappearing or the health of the Chesapeake Bay, or my colleagues in the western part of this country could talk about the wildfires, the impact of climate change is happening now.”

Video of his remarks can be streamed here.

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