Langevin Rep
=<div>work w/ apostates?</div><div></div><div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="https://www.americansecurityproject.org/congress-climate-security/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">https://www.americansecurityproject.org/congress-climate-security/</font></a></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">11/17</font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">...Cli<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><a href="https://www.americansecurityproject.org/climate-security/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; cursor: pointer;">mate change is a threat to national security</a>. The military and national security community has been preparing for the effects of climate change for over a decade. However, for several years, there has been notable push-back from Congress; as recently as 2016, the House of Representatives had voted along purely partisan lines to support an amendment prohibiting any action by the Department of Defense on climate change.</span></font></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In a remarkable turnaround, the Republican-led Congress has now begun to ask for the military to plan for the effects of climate change, and President Trump has signed legislation requiring that they do so. Below, is a of list legislation considered in 2017, by their committee of jurisdiction.</font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"> </font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-weight: bolder;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">House Armed Services Committee</font></span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">In the House version of the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) (<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/2810" class="external" title=" - Link will open in new window" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; cursor: pointer;">H.R. 2810</a>), the committee accepted an <a href="https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-amendment-climate-change-national-security-threat-passes-house-committee" class="external" title=" - Link will open in new window" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; cursor: pointer;">amendment sponsored by Congressman Langevin</a> (RI) that <a href="https://langevin.house.gov/sites/langevin.house.gov/files/documents/LANGEVIN_CLIMATE_CHANGE_AMENDMENT.pdf" class="external" title=" - Link will open in new window" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; cursor: pointer;">stated</a> that it was the sense of Congress that climate change “is a direct threat to the national security of the United States” and that military installations “must be able to effectively prepare to mitigate climate damage</span>.”</font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The Amendment requires a report to Congress on vulnerabilities to climate damage in military infrastructure and how climate change is affecting missions like humanitarian assistance and disaster response. The report would detail how much addressing climate change is expected to cost the Department.</font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The amendment was accepted by voice vote in committee.</font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-weight: bolder;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Full House of Representatives</font></span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">When the full House considered the NDAA on July 13, Representative Perry offered an <a href="https://www.congress.gov/amendment/115th-congress/house-amendment/179" class="external" title=" - Link will open in new window" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; cursor: pointer;">amendment</a> that would strip the bill of any language on climate change, including the report. After floor debate that included discussions from Rep. Langevin, Rep. Peters, and GOP Representatives <a href="https://twitter.com/RepStefanik" class="external" title=" - Link will open in new window" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; cursor: pointer;">Stefanik</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/RosLehtinen/status/885595064168329216" class="external" title=" - Link will open in new window" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; cursor: pointer;">Ros-Lehtinen</a>.</span> The amendment to strip the climate security section failed by a <a href="http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2017/roll368.xml" class="external" title=" - Link will open in new window" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; cursor: pointer;">vote of 185-234</a>, with 45 Republicans voting against. This vote on the House floor was an important signal that Congress is ready to support the military’s actions in preparing for the effects of climate change.</font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-weight: bolder;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">House Appropriations Committee</font></span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In the report to accompany the <a class="external" title=" - Link will open in new window - Link will open in new window" href="https://www.congress.gov/congressional-report/115th-congress/house-report/188" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; cursor: pointer;">2018 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill</a> (<a class="external" title=" - Link will open in new window - Link will open in new window" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/2998?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22Hr2998%22%5D%7D&r=1" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; cursor: pointer;">H.R. 2998</a>), the House Appropriations committee <a href="https://www.americansecurityproject.org/appropriators-dod-should-plan-for-climate-change/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; cursor: pointer;">called on the Department of Defense</a> to plan for the effects of climate change on its bases and its operations.</font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The report directs the Department of Defense to take into account the impacts of climate change, both “as a driver of instability” and as a threat to the military’s infrastructure. Noting the 2015 report to Congress about the <a class="external" title=" - Link will open in new window - Link will open in new window" href="http://archive.defense.gov/pubs/150724-congressional-report-on-national-implications-of-climate-change.pdf?source=govdelivery" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; cursor: pointer;">national security implications of climate change</a>, the report asks the Secretary of Defense to report back to Congress (not later than 120 days after enactment of this Act) on the “adaptation strategies developed for vulnerable installations.”</font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Furthermore, the report includes strong support for the Department of Defense to continue its work planning for the impacts of climate change. In a section titled “Climate and Security for Military Installations” the report states:</font></p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><blockquote style="margin: 10px 0px 10px 50px; padding: 10px 5px 10px 15px; border-left: 3px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); display: inline-block; background: rgb(238, 238, 238);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" /></font></font></font></font></font></font><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The Department of Defense must pay close attention to potential adverse impacts of climate change as a driver of instability. From sea level rise to increased drought and flooding across the country and the world, proper defense planning must include considerations related to climate change impacts. The Committee urges the Secretary of Defense to plan infrastructure and other projects using the best available data and science on climate change to mitigate risks to our armed forces serving domestically and abroad.</font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></p></blockquote><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/3354" class="external" title=" - Link will open in new window" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; cursor: pointer;">Omnibus Appropriations bill</a> in which this bill was folded into has not yet been signed into law.</font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-weight: bolder;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Senate Armed Services Committee</font></span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In the <a href="https://www.congress.gov/congressional-report/115th-congress/senate-report/125/1?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22s1519%22%5D%7D&r=1" class="external" title=" - Link will open in new window" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; cursor: pointer;">report </a>to accompany the Senate version of the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) (<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/1519?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22s1519%22%5D%7D&r=1" class="external" title=" - Link will open in new window" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; cursor: pointer;">S.1519</a>), the committee asks that the Secretary of Defense performs a “comprehensive threat assessment” and “implementation master plan” by March 1, 2018. The report looks both at how to address overseas stability issues as well as infrastructure impacts. The committee is worried about how climate change will threaten readiness for the military as a whole. One particularly interesting area is that it asks for the report to asses how “public-private partnerships” could be used to build resiliency.</font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-weight: bolder;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">House-Senate Conference </font></span></p></div><div>=</div><div>ref</div><div>
</div><div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; font-family: " gentium="Gentium" book="Book" basic="Basic" line-height="line-height" em="em" font-size="font-size" px="px" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb">During today’s markup of the Fiscal Year 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI), Ranking Member on the Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee, introduced an amendment to ensure that climate change is included as part of the United States national security strategy. The amendment, which was cosponsored by every Democratic member of the committee, passed by voice vote. As stated in the amendment text, the committee has acknowledged that “climate change is a direct threat to the national security of the United States” and that “the Department of Defense must ensure that it is prepared to conduct operations both today and in the future and that it is prepared to address the effects of a changing climate on threat assessments, resources, and readiness.”</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; font-family: " gentium="Gentium" book="Book" basic="Basic" line-height="line-height" em="em" font-size="font-size" px="px" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb">“It should come as no surprise that we are discussing climate change as a national security threat during consideration of our annual defense policy bill in the Armed Services Committee, said Congressman Langevin. “Numerous leaders from our defense and intelligence communities, appointed by both Democratic and Republican administrations, have acknowledged that a volatile climate is a serious threat to our readiness and to our long-term defense posture. This straightforward amendment requires each Service to plan for the future and properly determine which of their assets are most at risk.”</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; font-family: " gentium="Gentium" book="Book" basic="Basic" line-height="line-height" em="em" font-size="font-size" px="px" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb"><a href="https://www.ucsusa.org/global-warming/global-warming-impacts/sea-level-rise-flooding-us-military-bases#.WVKpCvvythE" target="_blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(17, 120, 169);">In a 2016 report</a>, the Union of Concerned Scientists identified numerous American military bases that are at risk of significantly increased flooding due to climate change. Some mission critical assets like Naval Station Norfolk, home of the Atlantic Fleet, currently experience “nuisance flooding,” and the storm surges of the future are only expected to get worse. Additionally, warmer temperatures and more volatile weather could affect training operations at inland bases, thereby reducing readiness capabilities.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; font-family: " gentium="Gentium" book="Book" basic="Basic" line-height="line-height" em="em" font-size="font-size" px="px" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb">“Our military leaders have told Congress that they need to account for the effects of climate change in their planning, because it can affect the national security of the United States and the safety of our men and women in uniform,” said Congressman Adam Smith, Ranking Member on the House Armed Services Committee. “We need to listen to them. It would be deeply inappropriate for Congress and the White House to dismiss those concerns for political reasons.”</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; font-family: " gentium="Gentium" book="Book" basic="Basic" line-height="line-height" em="em" font-size="font-size" px="px" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb">Langevin’s amendment (a copy of which can be found <a href="https://langevin.house.gov/sites/langevin.house.gov/files/documents/LANGEVIN_CLIMATE_CHANGE_AMENDMENT.pdf" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(17, 120, 169);">here</a>) directs the Secretary of Defense to provide an assessment of and recommendations to mitigate vulnerabilities to the top 10 most threatened military installations in each Service. It also requires the Secretary to address combatant commander requirements resulting from climate change over the next 20 years.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; font-family: " gentium="Gentium" book="Book" basic="Basic" line-height="line-height" em="em" font-size="font-size" px="px" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb">“This amendment is a responsible first step in recognizing what most of the world already knows – that climate change is real, and it will have a devastating effect on the readiness of our armed forces. I deeply appreciate the support of my colleagues in bringing a sober, fact-based approach to this critical issue of national security,” Langevin added.</p></div><div></div>