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Congressman Paul Tonko (D-NY) spoke last night on the House floor to again urge GOP leadership to address the need to act on the issue of climate change. Tonko pointed to storms that have lasted a matter of days – like Hurricane Irene – yet require cleanup efforts that take years and continue today as yet another reason why the House should work together to address this dangerous threat.

Click here to watch Rep. Tonko’s speech and see below for a full transcript:

In the past week we saw yet another devastating storm claim the lives and communities of thousands of people in the Philippines, as well as a string of tornadoes cut through twelve states from New York to Tennessee.

These powerful storms last for a matter of days, while recovery from their destruction takes years.  Hurricane Irene began as a tropical storm on August 20, 2011.  By the time it completed its path on August 29, it had wreaked havoc from Puerto Rico to New England, becoming the seventh most costly hurricane in our nation’s history while taking 56 lives. 

Ten days the storm lasted -- no more than 36 hours in any one spot.  But in my district and other affected areas, people are still recovering more than two years later. 

Infrastructure still needs to be repaired or replaced.  Businesses have not fully recovered and many families are still struggling to rebuild their homes and their lives.  The costs continue to mount. 

We have denied our responsibility to deal with climate change too long.  The time to act is now.

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