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While the bipartisan infrastructure bill that Republican and Democratic senators have put forward makes good investments to repair our roads and bridges, it is woefully insufficient in addressing the existential threat of climate change.

Let us be clear. According to the scientific community, the climate crisis is about nothing less than the survival of the human race. We have no choice. We must act now, and we must act boldly.

To put it simply, if the United States and the global community doesn't get its act together and move away from fossil fuels in a very aggressive way, the planet we will be leaving our kids and grandchildren will be increasingly uninhabitable. That cannot be allowed to happen.

That is why I believe there can be no infrastructure bill unless it is accompanied by a reconciliation bill that addresses the climate crisis — a bill I intend to author as Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee. If the Republicans in the Senate continue to ignore the catastrophic impact of climate change, the Democrats must go forward alone with the 50 votes we have.

Add your name if you agree:

Tell Congress you believe we need major legislation that addresses the existential threat to our planet of climate change.

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Look around:

Just last week, temperatures in Portland, Oregon reached a record-breaking 116 degrees. Much of the West Coast is experiencing severe drought that could trigger another unprecedented wildfire season. In the Midwest, record rainfall overwhelmed Detroit’s ability to handle the storm which resulted in cars being abandoned on flooded highways. In New York City an emergency alert was sent to all cell phones asking people to conserve energy or risk blackouts. Meanwhile, in the Atlantic Ocean, we have the earliest fifth-named storm ever in Tropical Storm Elsa.

There is no longer any doubt: failure to act on climate change and cut carbon emissions will mean more heatwaves, more drought, more rising sea level, more flooding, more extreme weather disturbances, more failing electrical grids, more blackouts, more mass migrations, more disease, more acidification of the oceans and more human suffering.

So you will forgive me for not having a lot of patience when some of my colleagues in the Senate tell me that we can’t afford to act on climate change. Really? The question that we must be asking, as loudly as possible, is how we can afford not to act?

That is one of the reasons I say there will be no bipartisan bill on infrastructure unless there is also major legislation that addresses the existential threat to our planet of climate change.

That bad news is that addressing the climate crisis cannot simply be done with a few tweaks around the edges.

The good news is that we can meet the challenges of this moment, create millions of good paying jobs in the process and help lead the world in a new energy direction.

Yes. We can transform our energy systems away from fossil fuels and into energy efficiency and sustainable energy. We can do that in transportation, electricity generation, agriculture and making our buildings and appliances more energy efficient. And when we do that we not only combat climate change but we create a cleaner and healthier environment.

Yes. We can build the new electric cars and trucks we need and make it easier for working families to buy them. We can also build the electric buses and high-speed rail systems we need.

Yes. We can weatherize millions of homes and buildings, cut carbon emissions and lower energy bills.

Yes. We can move away from coal and gas electricity generation and convert to wind, solar and hydro.

Yes. We can invest in conservation and public lands to heal our soils, forests and prairie lands.

Yes. We can support small family farms by investing in ecologically regenerative and sustainable agriculture.

Yes. We can fund research and development to drastically reduce the cost of energy storage.

Yes. We can build a modern smart grid, one that is resilient, secure and capable of managing high amounts of renewable energy and maximizing efficiency.

During the 1930s, the U.S. government provided electricity throughout the country as part of FDR's New Deal. In the 1960s, the U.S. government sent a man to the moon as part of JFK's space program.

Today, our job is to lead the world away from fossil fuels and into energy efficiency and sustainable energy. It is an enormous undertaking. But we cannot fail.

Tell Congress you believe we need major legislation that addresses the existential threat to our planet of climate change.

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The future of our planet is at stake.

In solidarity,

Bernie Sanders

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