WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, praised President Obama for sharing the facts about climate change with the country during his State of the Union address on Tuesday evening.

“I agree, Mr. President, it does not take a scientist to know that something dangerous is happening to our climate when we’ve just experienced 14 or the 15 warmest years on record,” said Senator Cardin. “President Obama is absolutely correct that no challenge poses a greater threat to future generations than climate change, and that the time for action is now. If we do not act forcefully, we’ll continue to see rising oceans, longer, hotter heat waves, and dangerous droughts and floods. In our coastal state of Maryland and throughout the country, these impacts can be devastating to our lives and livelihoods. It is in our national interest to address climate change head-on. We must not cede international leadership on this issue, or stall domestic action.

“Like the President, I am proud of what we have done in the United States to expand investments in renewable energy, including wind and solar. American innovation is bolstering the middle class with family-wage, upwardly mobile, clean-energy jobs that we need and want in our country. Smart investments will continue to advance American energy security and they will underscore the strength of our commitment to slowing climate change at a time when some have questioned the veracity of our promises. America must continue to take climate change seriously. I look forward to working with the administration to find ways to cut carbon pollution.”

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