People Have ‘Right to Expect’ Government to Address Climate, Says VP

March 7, 2023 by Kate Michael
People Have ‘Right to Expect’ Government to Address Climate, Says VP

DENVER — Vice President Kamala Harris appeared in Jefferson County, Colorado, for a moderated conversation with Rep. Brittany Pettersen, D-Colo., and professional female rock climber Sasha DiGiulian this week to discuss the administration’s investments to combat climate change. 

She came armed with puns and the power of a trio of transformational spending packages.

“When you combine what we have accomplished with the Inflation Reduction Act, together with the CHIPS Act and the bipartisan infrastructure law, we’re looking at about $1 trillion that will hit the streets of America on the issue of climate,” Harris said. 

“Think about this infusion of such a substantial amount of resources, which also, by the way, will spur private investment that will … exponentially grow that number, and what an impact we can have to really fast forward what is long overdue.” 

Her optimism held steady, even as she spoke from a location where the water has dried up and wildfire season extends year-round, as she spoke about innovation around a clean energy economy that “works for the betterment and improvement of everyone’s life for generations.”

“I was born in Oakland,” Harris said, “and the Bay Area takes great pride in being one of the birthplaces of the environmental movement.” 

Citing her parents’ background in the Civil Rights movement as well, Harris claimed she had an early knowledge of “a bunch of folks who were marching and shouting for equality and justice,” which informed her later work to create an environmental justice movement while serving as San Francisco attorney general in 2005.

“I took on [environmental justice] from the perspective saying that not only do we want to encourage good behaviors, but there needs to be a consequence for bad behaviors,” Harris said.

Federal policy at the time was just starting to acknowledge various stakeholders, and now, not only are communities and regions affected differently but the same area can — within days — experience devastating drought and be flooded with a season’s worth of rain that falls in a matter of hours. 

“[We need to be] thinking about how we will build for this moment and … critically evaluating what we have been doing, and [acknowledging] it hasn’t been very smart,” Harris admitted. 

“Water policy ‘flows’ in different directions,” she quipped while advocating for rainwater capture; and “we are on track, ‘on the road,’ to being global leaders in the building and manufacturing of electric buses,” she said, pushing for e-vehicle adoption. 

“When we believe … we can create, and we can build and do it,” she said and pointed to the administration’s infrastructure and funding priorities as ways to make it happen.

“We’re all in this together,” Harris said, insisting that environmental works are “what people have a right to expect their government to address.”

“We all know the most precious things are fragile, and that’s why we pay special attention to take care of them. Let’s continue to do that.” 

Kate can be reached at [email protected]

A+
a-

In The News

Health

Voting

In The News

March 27, 2024
by TWN Staff
Rep. Cleaver New Co-Chair of House Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus

WASHINGTON — Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II, D-Mo., is the new Democratic co-chair of the House Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency... Read More

WASHINGTON — Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II, D-Mo., is the new Democratic co-chair of the House Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus. He was invited to serve as co-chair by Sens. Jack Reed, D-R.I., and Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, the co-chairs of the Senate Renewable Energy and Energy... Read More

March 27, 2024
by Dan McCue
One-Time Treatment Could Revitalize Immune Systems in the Elderly

PALO ALTO, Calif. — A new study suggests that a one-time treatment that modulates the composition of a type of... Read More

PALO ALTO, Calif. — A new study suggests that a one-time treatment that modulates the composition of a type of immune cell could potentially revitalize the immune systems of the elderly, helping their bodies better react to viral and bacterial threats. The research was carried out... Read More

March 27, 2024
by Dan McCue
Insurers to Expand Access to ‘Navigation Services’ for Cancer Patients

WASHINGTON — Seven of the nation’s largest health insurance companies are expanding access to so-called “navigation services” to help patients... Read More

WASHINGTON — Seven of the nation’s largest health insurance companies are expanding access to so-called “navigation services” to help patients and their families navigate the myriad challenges that might arise during treatment for cancer and other serious illnesses. The insurers involved are Aetna; Blue Cross Blue... Read More

March 27, 2024
by Dan McCue
New Dem Chair Kuster Announces Retirement Following 2024 Election

CONCORD, N.H. — Rep. Annie Kuster, D-N.H., who, among other things, is the current chair of the New Democrat Coalition... Read More

CONCORD, N.H. — Rep. Annie Kuster, D-N.H., who, among other things, is the current chair of the New Democrat Coalition in the House, revealed Wednesday that she will not seek reelection to Congress this year. In a lengthy statement released by her office, Kuster gives no... Read More

March 26, 2024
by Tom Ramstack
Supreme Court Skeptical of Ban on Abortion Pill Mifepristone

WASHINGTON — A hearing Tuesday before the Supreme Court indicated a majority of the justices want to maintain women’s access... Read More

WASHINGTON — A hearing Tuesday before the Supreme Court indicated a majority of the justices want to maintain women’s access to the abortion pill mifepristone despite objections from anti-abortion activists. The doctors and organizations who sued argued the Food and Drug Administration was wrong in granting... Read More

March 26, 2024
by Dan McCue
Consumers Warned to Avoid Certain Topical Pain Relief Products 

WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration warned consumers on Tuesday not to use certain over-the-counter pain relief products marketed... Read More

WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration warned consumers on Tuesday not to use certain over-the-counter pain relief products marketed for topical use before, during or after certain cosmetic procedures. The warning came after the agency issued warning letters to six companies for marketing these products... Read More

News From The Well
scroll top