Transcripts For CSPAN2 John 20240703

I actually hate sitting up here. I feel so far away. Skid the staff if we can move the chair position down to the front row but they said theres no room for the benches so we couldnt reverse the order of the dias, another day, another room. Subcommittee on oversight and accountability will come to order. The purpose of thise hearing is to examine the state departments Climate Policy and the budget of the special president ial envoy for climates office. I now recognize myself for an Opening Statement. As we examine the state departments climate agenda and budget, we are joined today by former secretary of state john kerry. Thank you for being here today. First ever president ial enjoy forr climate. Mr. Kerry, youre sitting at a newly created position but from all the research that ive done in two years youve largely managed to avoid any real oversight or accountability in that position. Now my Community Cares about this as an issue. We sit on floridas east coast. We felt the consequences of environmental disaster. Im a member of the Bipartisan Climate Solutions caucus, cochair of the roosevelt on certify vagues caucus and i believe that its critical that we do work to defend our environment, clean air, clean water, public health, protecting our environment is important. I dont know a person literally in congress that doesnt believe that protecting our environment is important but as you and i have discussed and ive said this to you before, you cant worry about the efficiency of your home if you cant make rent, if your cant make your mortgage payment and you cant worry about the emissions of your automobile payment if you cant make the payment on your car. Enacting policies not by votes to the house of representatives and the senate. Secretary blinken has said you were leadership will be indispensable weaving climate into the fabric of everything we do at state department. Personally, i dont believe climate is every part of diplomas that which is the job of the state department. I believe we probably disagree up about that. Regardless you even having served as longtime senator youre willing to push the envelope of what it means to live in a Constitutional Republic in order to get the agenda the administration sees enacted. Watching this hearing feels about Climate Change but i believe that we have large concern to them my chief concern about your office, you are serving on the National Security council but you are not confirmed by the senate per your previous role secretary of state you unilaterally entered our nation into the largest agreements joint comprehensive the ironic nuclear dont unilaterally bound americans to set standards are dramatically increase the cost of living or affect their way of life in the Paris Climate Accord. I believe that speaks volumes by overarching philosophy as it applies a governing and what youre doing now is a people called the claimants art. Mr. Carey, nobody voted for you in this body. It seems like oncee again the rules do not apply to the president s inner circle hes got you he is called to his best buddy that brings me too my second concern i want to speak about today as basic levels of transparency the mechanism of transparency andrn government yr office had not participated and to be accountable to the people. Every time you travel to a Climate Summit or king charles is with the document the Carbon Emissions generally buy your trip. Your office has failed to do so you are supposed through an organizational chart of your office. Your office only did so when there was a lawsuit filed still none of the names of the people who work in your office. You ignore most congressional request for document. Youve ignored this in the House Foreign Affairs getting the Oversight Committee for months. We are supposed to respond to requests but claim or take years to produce basic budgetary information in some cases not willing to release it until 2024 youre supposed be clear about the work you do on behalf of the americanal people you dont hava landing page on the state department website. I dont believe so fulfill the white house promised to bring transparency and truth back the government. It is my assessment you are afraid of the American People knowing exactly what it is you are up to at places like the Climate Change conferences that you attend. Youre headed off the top 20 it soon you been to 27 and other summits. Purporting to represent the mindset of america. But you are not represented the nine seats of americas people in my opinion. I believe you are representing a far less radical agenda. Those are my beliefs. But the truth is, because of the lack of transparency no one really knows exactlyly what you are representing. So in that, im going to turn over to my colleague Ranking Member i dont know if you want to turn it over first or not. I will turn it over to you for an Opening Statement for the record. Thank you chairman mast and thank you to our witness secretary kerry for appearing here today. It is. Safe to say i have a very different view of your work and in this subject then my friend it chairman mast. I represent the district in colorado that has shaped dramatically every year by changes to our climate. A Climate Crisis is real. There is no doubt about that. My constituents know that. We sit here right now millions of americans are dealing with extreme weather events. That are causing terrible terrible disasters across vast swaths of our country. I agree issues of helping our constituents pay their mortgage is important but its hard to pay your mortgage if your house is underwater. Its hard to pay your electric bill of its 110 degrees four weeks and weeks on end that is the reality that so many of our constituents and americans are facing. The Climate Crisis iss going to oihave profound impacts on our water supply, on Drought Conditions and increase the risk of destructive wildfires and limit agricultural yields in non infrastructure that is damaging been damaged by heavy rains and extreme disasters every day. The growing reality for somebody in colorado is one of increasingly familiar across the nation whether it be poor air quality for wildfire smoke come extreme heat or massive flooding the ramifications of Climate Change areid widely felt. A change in climate has and will drive mass migration. It will exacerbate Food Insecurity it will worsen Health Indicators and will challenge every government on earth to adapt to extreme stress on the goods and services they need to deliverth for their citizens. This global problem then requires Global Solutions. Hjust as we have set in this rm discussed the need to work with partners to counter russian aggression, to compete with the prc provide aid across the world to those who need it, addressing climate relies on multilateral effortss perhaps more so than ay other. Securing more ambitious commitments from countries around the world is only one part of the puzzle. Our Climate Policies must also include the onshore ring of supply chains for Critical Technologies and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. As an added benefit these policies will drive economic growth, strength and industry create new jobs in the process. These solutions are necessary because Climate Change stresses not one system, but all of them. As a former army ranger at my work in congress and the Foreign Affairs and Armed Services committee and the Intel Committee i have directly wrestle with the National Security impact of our changing climate. That National Security impact may be the resiliency of our nations basis. It can have on our existing infrastructure to withstand rising sea levels extreme weather events. The question is are we resilient and ensuring we can sustainably defend our nation without delay or obstruction . The instability Climate Change drives can also create new National Security challenges beyond our borders. How will we respond to the millions of people across the world to lack sufficient food, clean water, shelter, medical care, functioning infrastructure, safety from conflict unreliable Good Governance . Diplomacy we need to meet these challenges head on requires we lead by example. The absence of our leadership leave an open door for other nations including china to fill in our stead. I am very encouraged by the said ministrations ever to recommit the United States Environmental Protection and bold multilateral engagement. The placement of the role of the cabinet level is a clear indicator to all that we are serious about making demonstrable gains on Climate Policy. The administration reentry into the Paris Climate Accord, various executive orders on Climate Change review of environmental rollbacks in recent years show we are pursuing evidencebased policymaking acrossym the federl government at home and abroad. I look forward to our witness speaking to these critical concerns and asking our questions the best of his knowledge and ability. With that i yield back the balance of my typing works thank you Ranking Member t crow we are pleased to have the chairman and Ranking Member of the full committee with us. I went out recognize chairman mccall for an Opening Statement. Thank you chairman mast. For todays hearing. Let me say first before i get into my statement that i am working on eight project International Conservation active. We have 10 billionaires who want to provide a very generous manner to help us with conservation both wildlife conservation, fisheries from china, and the rain forest which are the lungs of the planet. To be two one match those are productive things appear think the selfimposed mandates and try and it doesnt have to follow makes no sense to mey at all. Onto thank you secretary for being here today. Thats not always pleasant appearing before congress you will remember this on the senate side you remember the distinguished body for quite some time. Let me Start Talking about china. And i know you are preparing for a trip to china as i understand is that correct sir . Yes, sir. You know we are in a global balance of power. Great power competition. That increase their aggression in the end of pacific. Especially toward taiwan. Iit came back from taiwan two months ago i was greeted by our armada of battleships around the island and air quest character and seven jets conducting exercises. I wasas sanctioned the last dayi was there as we departed taiwan to i said that nobody wanted sympathy for that other than to say is getting very aggressive. In the pacific. Weis need to make this issue extremely seriously. I hope you will talk to them about their i aggression in the region as you talk to them about Climate Change. Its the greatest threat to our National Security. In their underlying agenda should be the top priority of the state department. I am concerned the administration is prioritizing their own sort of political agenda over the National Securitytr issue. When you look at china also it is disturbing they are not an honest broker when it comes to addressing Emission Reduction as you know. They areno held to a different standard than we are under the ntparis agreement. Yet they are the Worlds Largest emitter of Greenhouse Gases and have shown no sign of relenting they fire a coal plant up pretty much every day its not weak. The last of the years it has exceeded those of the United States and all developing nations combined. The are the number one defender of polluting the planet. Im 2021 after pledging to show quote the highest possible ambition to address Climate Change the andnd equivalent of going back to the coal plant 100 coal power plants to the grid. Same year china had a record increase in admissions allows to increase their missions until 2030. Nine states and other economic are forced to cut them. Equally to all and not favoring china. They should not have most favored nation n status. Shockingly because china classifies themselves they classify themselves as a developing nation. The second greatest empire in the world. Yet by the United Nations center there developing nations there giving deferential treatment and other International Climate treaties. As a secondlargest economy in the world they areel not a developing nation. That entitles them to world bank loans to from their belts and Road Initiative they get in the debt the ims. At the american taxpayer expense. I dont know how you can negotiate when they are knowingly abusing Global Systems to avoid purse purposefully there admissions. Funnel taxpayer money to her greatest adversary with things like that you and Green Climate fundnd when its clear they have no interest in reducing their missions. Late rareearth minerals needed to produce a batteries solo panels as you testified before this committee previously are forced to produce components for solar panels in the region of china. The Biden Administration and rightfully so has classified the externui as genocide. Sir, what i asked your question the last time we appear before this committee, ill wait till youre done with your sidebar conversation, it is important for you to hear this. The lesson here i asked about impact the genocide that have on your Climate Change agenda. Your plate life is full of choices. One comes to ending genocide there arear no tough choices the fact you think its that its a tough choice for going to have to look do what they do, is incredibly concerning. The United States uses human rights and human dignity. The administration continues ton gauge of the ccp with no real results to show for it. I agree you have to talk to the mcduck the secretary blinken. Encourage them to engage in diplomacy with china. We dont have to make concessions before you get to the table. We stopped enforcing a sanctions against Human Rights Violations just to get a meeting with chairman she picked we stopped enforcing expert controls going to this country . Just to get a meeting with chairman she . That is not always to negotiate. And i want to raise one last thing. Theres a nam untracked man he is a texans been held captive by the ccp for over a decade. He is innocent. He did not do anything wrong. He has been charged with fabricated charges drug possession and now hes scheduled to be executed by the Chinese Communist party for doing nothingg wrong. He will be executed if we do nothing to stop this. U i would employ you sir, as you talk about climate you also bring up human rights violation and the fact in american citizen is sitting in a chinese prison marked for death by the ccp whoe will be at executed soon if you certain your administration does nothing to help him. It is a dire situation has a family, his mother catherine i talked to them. They simply want their son back home. I pray that you can help return this man to the United States with that i yield back for a quick thank you, mr. Chairman. I t now recognize the Ranking Member of the full committee mr. Folks think it Ranking Member crow i believe the title of this subcommittee hearing is a budget overview. Via special president ial envoy for climate. Which is tremendously important because there is only one planet that we have. If we are not focused on saving this planet all of us the matter where we are on the planet are in peril. That is why thank you secretary kerry for joining us. For you and your Team Consistent engagement with congress ensuring we are informed and consulted on your work as special envoy. You have consistently come back to talk to congress. And the importance and demonstrate the importance of your work. And the necessity of the United States leading in this area. In talking about the needs and concerns because at times when you talk about our values, you talk about our budget. This hearing is focused on the budget. The needs of but we need to do to help save the planet. Last congress when i became chair of this committee one of my priorities was to make sure we consider the issue of Climate Change as part of our broader Foreign Policy thinking. Climate change and its effect are a National Security issue. And it o touches upon all aspecs of our economy and society. As immensely pleases the Biden Administration appoints especially you a special envoy. Based upon your long work in this area. Whether it was your work in the United States senate, or your work as secretary of state of this great country. You and your administration is critical domestically and internationally. And i, along with most of the world was relieved to see the United States back at the table. Not only in climate negotiations but also in many other areas of diplomacy. Like we just saw it yesterday in nato. Not calling nato irrelevant anymore as others had but showing the importance and significance of us working together and a diplomatic form. Staying together, that is how ukraine has been able to survive this long. Unity leading and bringing us back. Because the lack of American Leadership and the consequences of America First america alone agenda hurts our international standing. Not only is United States back as a responsible global actor, we also are leading again. Including the International Climatee space. For rounding allies to address urgent adaptability issues. Leveraging the private sector response work with likeminded partners make sure they are protected. The United States is again leading the world. Even when it comes to curbing the admissions of the Worlds Largest emitter, china, there are areas where we can and must cooperate as we have seen and is your mission will continue to do. We know that Climate Change, see zero two admissions, wildfires exec et cetera have no voice. It is global. As a Herculean Task the global problem Global Solutions finally let me be clear i see your role as special envoy is critical in promoting american National Security interest in a fastchanging world. Domestic policy is directly linked to International Policy in the climate space. Congress plays an Important Role here to bypassing the bipartisan infrastructure built the Inflation Reduction Act which makes the single largest investment in climate and energy in american history. How we prepare for the transition to a Green Economy will have ramifications for all americans whether you are rich, whether you are poor, whether you are in the middle class, whether you lived in the east, whether you live in the west, whether you live in the north, whether you live in the south, whether you live in middleca america. We see the effects of Climate Change affecting everyone. And it will affect future generations. So the United States can lead the way. I conclude by saying thank you mr. Secretary. For your service and i look forward to continuing to work with you and your team on addressing this critical challenge. To save this place we call earth and the like someone or dont we dont save it. We dont do the things now than god help us all think if you work and i yield back. Accessing as consent the government from texas be allowed to sit and participate in todays hearing without objection so ordered. Other members of committee remain Opening Statements and be submitted for the record. We are pleased to have as we mentioned already distinguish witness before us today on this topic the honorable johnto kerry special president ial envoy for climate prior to his current position secretary kerry was the 68 a United States secretary of state for 2013 2017. Senator from massachusetts 1985 until 2013. Thank you for being here today. Your full statement will be made part of the record. We will ask you keep your spoken remarks to five minutes to allow time for members questions. And just give a warning as we move into questions after that. Ill have about an extra minute to answer the question if we squeeze went in at the end there. Think you very, very much. Thank you for inviting me. Very grateful to be here. Want to thank all of the committee for inviting me here today to discuss the Biden Harrison Administration Budget and obviously beyond the budget, issues of concern to all of a you. As a privilege essay i want to thankha the chairman and Ranking Member crow and anybody else who served our country in uniform for that service. And i think its fair for me too say i recognize how much the perspective you bring to the challenges of public life can draw on that experience and i thank you for being here. Chairman maccoll and Ranking Member thank you for being here and for your comments. And mr. Chairman mccall let me say to directly secretary blinken forcefully argued when he was on his visit to china about detainees, plural. I can absolutely promise you i will raise the case project with the highest level leaders that i meet with. And report back to you when i can achieve are not achieve it. Let me share it very quickly because you all know what is going on internationally at this point. The fact is, ive been following this issue since 1988 when jim hansen first testified to us in n the senate. I think it was a hot june day sad the Climate Change happening is here in 88. In 92 i went to rio with a lot of other centers in president George Herbert walker bush signed inal agreement that was reached there to deal with the climate is voluntary, not much happened. We are now at 28. We face an even larger crisis. It is clear from the science and the mounting evidence around the world that one of the most existenial threats that weat fae that impacts every Single Member of congress, every Single Family in our country, in the world comes from the growing Climate Crisis. We are beyond just Climate Change frankly. I dont refer to it is that anymore it is only a massive crisis. Well talk about that in the course of this morning. We are living with us every single days life offended by florida and texas. Read up on her degree days for the last weeks and several locations. 95 degrees in florida keys 95, 96 reported. An extreme flooding in f california people getting on the roofs to survive. I do not want to belabor that. You hear about it, you know it. But our military leaders have stated the Climate Crisis c without doubt a threat to our National Security. They repeatedly termed it as a threat multiplier. I was just in vienna for security for europe the 57 Different Countries were7 there. All of whom defining this challenge as a securityle threa. Climate disruptions obviously exacerbate the competition over resources. They require our military to increasingly support humanitarian efforts in various parts of the world. Here at home taxpayers are feeling this in a growing way in terms of the extreme weather events because every single extreme weather event comes with a big bill that we pay. Not to invest in technology. Not to advance new jobs in the sector. But just toan clean up the mess. Just to reconnect people to electricity rebuild destroyed homes and buildings. So, with the devastation of this crisis, honestly i will tell you as a veteran of 28 years here in the congress i really do not understand for a frankly dont understand why the opportunity of this crisis is not being seized more readily by everybody. Just as the Climate Crisis is a manmade, comes from admissions we dont capture. That we dont do anything with. It is from admissions Everybody Knows this it is scientific fact around the world 190 countries are responding. But there is a massive opportunity once in a Generation Opportunity economically which the ira that passed is already carving an enormous path to prove to everybody already the Inflation Reduction Act was created over 100,000 jobs. In clean energy across the country. Along with the bipartisan infrastructure law these critical investments being paired with diplomacy because the simple reason is no country can solve the Climate Crisis alone. It was automatically. If china doesnt were all in trouble. Russia, india, indonesia, brazil, mexico, countless countries all need to step up may be part of thep solution. We have worked with the eu to launch the global methane pledge. Which has spurred one or 50 plus countries around the world to methane emissions. Methane being 20s 80 times more destructive than co2. We have built on the Abraham Accords to support Energy Integration and resilience in the middle east. Finally we support with u. S. Leadership at American Companies on a new generation of Nuclear Energy with a westinghouse wing the bid which in poland for four new plans in addition to bulgaria where there is a plan to being built. Every step for this administration has taken has been to protect our National Security. To strengthen our economy leave behind a safer planet for our kids and grandkids and also to recognize all of us have the aft of the solution. Also, every step we take in a space on the best science we can understand and determine. Its a matter of a mathematics and physics, not politics. Not ideology. It isce. That is one of the reasons why i am headed to the peoples republic of china this weekend to engage in candid conversations between the worlds two largest economies because every step forward depends on not one country acting alone, but acting altogetherto helping to push the rest of the world to do what we need to do to win this battle. It also depends on all of you. Not as a matter of politics but a special mission in meeting thf our country and our Congress Progress mr. Secretary i think you look forward your questions. Quick thinking you did not need 30 moree seconds. Im going to defer recognize the chairman of the full committee for questions first. So as to recall your recognize thank you chair. Let me say first, i always like toti start on a positive note. We all recognize we have a problem. We all want to save the planet i think we probably just disagree on the way to getth not like thf Holding China to a different standard than the United States. That server will be a great challenge when you go to beijing is holding to the same standards as the United States. I think that is what the American People want and what the American People deserve. If i could go back to what i said in my Opening Statements, this continues to baffle me the second largest economy in the world is somehow treated as a developing nation or purpose of the United Nations charter. It is a self designation they self designate they are developing nation so what does that mean . There in the wto. They are given preferential status when it comes to world bank loans. Sometimes low interest sometimes zero interest loans. But they turn around and use rates to get truly developing nations into a debt trap. The thing thats not only wrong but immoral but they act extrapolate this argument this logic to Climate Change. Ir own y say china has said its Carbon Emissions should peak by 2030 i assume thats why youre holding them to the 2030re standard in e paris agreement. The but they say they decline. With the goal of reaching Carbon Neutrality by 2060. Not 2030, 2060 and why do they say that . Thats whats really amazing to me i am an attorney by trade and words matter. The country, the Worlds Largest carbon emitter has argued it is still a developing economy and should not be held to the same standards as developed countries and reducing Carbon Emissions. My questions are is very simple and very straightforward. And i hope you will give me a good answer to this one. How in the world can the second largest economy maintained to you and to the rest of the world with a straight face they are a developing nation giving them preferential treatment. Not only to fund their belts and road but to get special designation to not comply with an agreement we have to comply with sooner but in their interpretation not until im not saying this to make anyone feel better be argumentative. As you make your case to the American People you do not understand this. If i talk to my constituents back home on site secretary carries going over the try to save the world thats great b wt have to comply until 2060 because they lie and say they are developing nation self designated guess what the United States weve got to comply almost immediately. The American People understand fairness. And honestly sir they do not see this as fair. I cannot disagree with that. They do not see it as fair. A lot of people are concerned about this differential designation. Let me first if i wanted to thank for the shark fin sales elimination which has is really had an impact. Ive been passionate about the oceans for year we got the oceae ocean conferences. That was one of the big issues we had there and that was a major step. And also greatly appreciate the u. S. Foundation for International Conservation act. These important steps they can show it to you in a bipartisan basis. With respect to topics. I have raised this with my counterpart in china. We are at a point in the process of meetings that are annual under the un process. Theres going to be a revisiting to that. I think its next year. Weve already been talking withy people because we are going to need to find a way to put more money on the table in order to attract some of the private capitol that is necessary because in the end of government is going to solve this problem its going to be solved by the private sector. The private sector is. Record amount of money moving into Venture Capital have a record amount ofy money that is targeted for investment. But wont deploy without our ability to reduce some of the risk which is something my office our office has been working very, very diligently for the chairman gaveled me down i dont like to be gaveled down im a german. [laughter] if you could walk away from the summit with just that one result, to take away their developing nation status sir i cannot say how significant that atwould be to the rest of the world. For a lot of reasons you notice on affair designation as a self designation. Correct but can i say to you pickwick so i can have your assurance youre going to bring it up. I understand that. Let meme just to be frang to han this visit. Its not a mechanism or rationale is just not going to happen in thisap visit. The Chinese Government issue. Tands this is a growing its a growing issue of concern. I respectfully would say to you i mention 28 cups i have been to too many of them. Way back in 1997 when the agreement was reached and it could not work because it was mandatory whole bunch of people said it was understandability were not going to do that and the chinese are not going to do that. So what has happened is we have been deadlocked until paris. The breakthrough in paris was okay lets not continue to do nothing because of the designation issue. Lets agree to sign onto something whats happening is around thed world its working better than you might think but not addressing the question you raised. Recognized Ranking Member who i believe will recognize. We are following protocol us. Then i think the chairman and that Ranking Member for allowing the chairman and myself to ask askedthat question make Opening Statements. I think where i wanted to go with what you are talking g abot when your time with paris agreement. The last one in particular because as i look at t its also the rest the world. And so i am interested and making sure and going a admitteo look at it make sure we are w engaged with their allies and friends and even at times our adversaries to get things done and to accomplish things. I was curious to see what your answer would be no of the Biden Administration has re entered d into the paris agreement. What kind of response have you gotten from our International Partners work collectively weve got to do with china collectively weve got to do with other how have you been and what do you think to the benefit of us . Ranking member, without patting ourselves on the back too much i do want to say President Bidens immediate reentry on the day of this inauguration and creation of this particular office and the commitments he has made the fight he has been fighting to get the inflationin reduction at passed is a historic piece of legislation. Just today before i came in here exxon mobil announced the purchase but also a focus on accelerating the capture of admissions he pointblank said this is happening partly because of the Inflation Reduction Act. The incentive that has been created now for massive transformation we have seen more than 80 Battery Companies created but are now beginning to address the supply chain issue. Im not going to goo through the whole list. But together with our european allies the eu and friends around the world australia, japan, korea, canada, others they havee all come to the table. There is now a really reentered drives International Effort to do what is necessary to try to meet the needs of this challenge. And im very proud. President biden has really ignited a whole new round of activity we hope will bee different from whats gone before over the last couple of days particularly in regards to what took place at the nato summit there is a question about the durability denies its commitment to ukraine. I am wondering what if any questions youve had with a reference to the durability of the United States commitment to the issue of Climate Change . Mr. Ranking member that is a great question and very, very relevant because i hear it all over the world. And in fact the chinese say to me and have said to me how do we know youre not going have a change in administration and the going to leave again . We are out there working away but you are not . We have yet to produce the wonder billion dollars that was promised for lessdevelopedd countries to be able to make the transition. We believe hopefully that can happen this year. And my answer to those people is not a political one. It is an answer based in the reality of the american marketplace in the world marketplace. Ceos of Major Companies that we are proud of in this country google, apple, microsoft, salesforce, boeing, fedex, i could run a long list of fortune 500 companies all of whom are now in the transition. Changing their fleets to electric bus to electric trucks. Ford motor company, General Motors have joined the First Movers Coalition they are buying green steel where they can find it for the making of their cars in order to send a market a demand signal. You also have as i said ford and General Motors are transitioning so by 2035 they hope one 100 of cars they make in america will be electric read that topic not because the government mandated it because they see that is the future. Oil andpa Gas Companies and oths are changing into Energy Companies theyre beginning to move that takes us down the path maybe well talk about it later. I just want to emphasize that people think you cannot reverse its irreversible. Its irreversible. I believe that personally. I am g convinced we are going to get globally to a low carbon note Carbon Economy globally. What i am not convinced is we will do with the sciences which is get there in time to avoid the worst consequences of the crisis. That is what they are challenging us in 2018. They said you have 12 years within which to make decisions that will avoid the worst consequences. That is what we are doing under International Diplomacy trying to accelerate those decisions and accelerate the marketplace. We are not doing command and control. The Inflation Reduction Act is not a command control act. It creates incentives. Businesses are making their own decisions that is worthwhile in thema market is going to be thee and they want to be there. Against the to my opening are so want to talk about the lack of transparency and say secretary number one can you direct me to the website your landing page, about your Office Section Mission Statement section of your website . I can direct you to the congressional notice which had a very detailed chart that i have here a. Next every bureau they have a website that tells about the Mission Statement you have that the state myself and my staff could not find that. We certainly have a page. If you all find it get it to me. You state department website. You use the state you dont have your landing page about you, your Mission Statement . Other levels of whats going on with the hierarchy in your office. As i said 2021 request your office replied it would not get back to itof until about 2024. 2023 it would like a few answers im not going to ask for every one of these. I would love to know the names of individuals that actually answer to you. A who are the ones that directly answer to you so we can know a little bit about your office . We will give this chart to somebody in your office maybe they can fill the rest the names we are here answering questions for us it will be very helpful. Hoosier deputy advisor climate . Click save two deputies. They are wellknown their experience people rick duke and im not goingin to go through al the names. Hes one of the most experienced negotiators in the world. Pixie Principal Deputy chris reports im not going to fill them in here in this way that will be a violation of our process with the state department which are not going to tell us . Which im not going to go through them by name that is not the required process of the state department pickwick susa Principal Deputy for climate in your office . I just sent you mr. Chairman. I am going to go through the normal process. Now an algorithm kicked out when you are referring to progressive not going to argue about secretary im not going to argue say youre not going to answer your not going answers par for the course. [inaudible] kirk said it was going to be installed till 2024 im not going so my time arguing about said youre not going to answer. Dont just cut me off when i am trying to do is tell you im going to follow the process of the statee department which is normally followed. Wheree there are circumstances requiring that somewhat know who the person is the state department has complied and done that. Where thats not a requirement there is a hierarchy there is not a requirement that says the secretary said theres a hierarchy. This is Standard Practice for governments. [inaudible] i want to point to another mr. Secretary. We presented that pickwick to answer to the executive office of the president xe or do answero secretary blinken . I have emails. I respond directly to the president of the United States. Directly to the president questioned. That is correct with secretary blinken is completely informed and aware of everything to quick speed dont answer to blinken, thank you. Good we just need to know for basic levels of transparency. In understanding how this works on scripture couple questions on policy. It was said by my colleague global problems require global commitment. I want to go to is on the global commitment she might be looking at that were looked out in 27. I want to understand if you are committing tonight states of america to these policies or not . These are simple yes or no questions i know you have researched and well i have researched them well. We do not need an explanation of them here just number one, crossborder Carbon Trading. Are you planning at cop 28 to commit this is thela number one issue there along with climate reparations you plan to commit america to crossborder training as my colleague put in global commitments . There is no current proposal or plan that has been agreed to which would require us to do that pickwick sue planet working on a global plan for crossborder Carbon Trading . What experience born with a lot of countries with the various approaches might be. President biden has charged us to examine crossborder adjustment mechanisms in order to understand how we could deal with the question of very carbon intensive produced goods coming into our country for our folks are trying to reduce emissions pickwick so say that the maybe because you did not answer completely affirmatively then youre making this a game you turned it into a gas when i didnt say yes. You are playing games for quickie centers and maybe you didnt say no went on to create and may be put up there . Six and i will create a maybe well put it in yellow. Well put yes and green and the know and read will put may be in yellow next time well do that i do and you to one last question to be lesser time. Thats at this when i notes another major priority for are you planning to commit america to climate reparations that is to say we have to pay some of the country because they had a flood or they had a hurricane or typhoon . Like snow under no circumstances were. Very good im glad you say that. I do have a note. Wants to create it decided progress and will write in forr you and im glad we have agreement on that page out of my black pen will work. There you go theres you Ranking Member crow i yield you five minutes. Thank you chairman. Im not planning to game show this. I do not have a board. Thats good in theater but not good legislating is not necessary oversight in my view. Norma going to ask any member of this many who their schedulers s there, their staff assistant is that is not how this works. We all know that actually. Before you were cut off i believe you were about to say ill give you an opportunity to complete which you were going to say that you are going to follow the regular process and respond to the chairmans questions is that accurate . Yes been ongoing too follow t i have about 600 pages was delivered yesterday of the day before yesterday in answer. There are a lot of requests that come in their massive amount of requests that comment in a very small office. There are two tracks that we address. One is the oversight we have Oversight Committee personnel. They are the ones responsible for that. I do not literally touch them. It goes directly to that office. The second track is the foia there is a formal process with an office in the state department they are responded too as fast as they can be. I think our staff budgets were cut last year we can get additional funding. We could have people speeded up a. Ha i s appreciate that i for one and found you in your office to be nothing but transparent and forthcoming and cooperative as of doubt in my mind you will continue to do that. But this is serious stuff putting aside the graphics in ad the backandforth here its a very serious strategic competition ater play. The peoples republic of china is moving extremely aggressively in areas of global south american particular are engaging with countries tried to move them into their sphere of influence. On the issues of climate on the issue of resilience have had a lot ofre discussions with leades in south america who said we would love to partner with you on this but you are not coming to us as aggressively as china is in some instances. Could you just speak to the importance of the United States and leading on this and continuing to double down on this issue from a strategic competition perspective . This is make this opportunity to transition toy clean energy is without doubt the largest Economic Opportunity the world has seen since the Industrial Revolution. Bigger by far even not necessarily an impact im not even sure i can say that with respect to the technology revolution. Because technology is going to be a critical component of what is happening. Youve got huge investments taking place and Green Hydrogen huge investments taking place in direct caption. Company isenergy pursuing that all in on direct air Carbon Capture. Others are trying to do other forms of capture and utilization and storage. Batteries have made remarkable progress is going to continue. The cost of solar and wind is now almost literally negative. It has come down so far it is almost the go to initial effort progress is safe to say theres incredible Economic Opportunity that is there for the taking we are able to engage strategically and take advantage of it we are competing against china and others for that we are competing and everybody has their own approach which is one of the exciting things here we are not going to know what the winners going to beat necessarily. There are going to be big winners here. I think we are seeing the transformation retaking place. And the limited time you want to push back on the fallacy as i believe it that it is a sign of toughness some people think its a sign of toughness and strength to walk away. To quit talking, quit engaging. Even if we have theories of mutualal interest with some countries of which we have very real concerns. And skin in the game so to speak. Give us very briefly why its important to still engage with a china and others even if we have conflicts in the real disagreements in other areas . The administration is determined to try to stabilize what has been a particulate recently very unstable situation. The president is obviously concerned as most people are about the potential for mistakes the potential for something to inadvertently drag us into an open hocks conflict or up until now it has been in a more reserved fashion. I think those who are involved on that site of the fence. I am not im dealing only with the climate. President biden and president xi specifically determined at the beginning of the administration theyre going to try to separate climate because its not a bilateral issue. Itgl is a global universal issue which threatens everyone on the planet. We do not want to be hostage of all these tensions all these are real theres one iota of diminishing of the reality of the other challenges to our office or anyone else. Try to operate in a way that can maximize our output notwithstanding. Thank you for that thank you for the additional time is determined i yieldha back. Puncture welcome thank you for your questions i will set the record straight is common practice for every one of her offices for to be opensource who works in our offices. Every counselor and state department have a website which is transparency and on that website they do put the hierarchy of who works but you do not have a website so you do not have that level of transparency. I would not recognize mr. Mills for five minutes. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Yes we have a website that tells exactly whos in her offices its kind but if the appointee does not. Secretary kerry thank you so much for coming i wasth not too problematic. Operational team in your private jet to get here. I will start with the fact that in an interview in september of 2021 when asked about the importing of solar panels that werear built with a uyghur slave labor, slave labor the tradeoff between climate and human rights you said life is full of tough choices. Do you believe the question of whether to import solar panels built on the backs of uyghur slaves is such a tough choice . Of course not only do i not believe it i have raised it in my meetings over the years. Raise it consistently as secretary of state. As senator. I dont even know what the context is of the conversation you are referring to. Interesting. I am making it Crystal Clear. Got it, secretary kerry you have prioritized Rapid Deployment of prc solar panels above the human rights of enslaved uighurs for the interest of american manufacturers on the integrity of the department of commerce of investigation what is the benefit of that . Sois not sure can repeat that . Sure i said in my statement you have prioritized Rapid Deployment of prc which is china solar panels about the human rights of enslaved uighurs. The interest of American Manufacturing the integrity of the department of commerce investigation. And no i have never ever prioritized bringing in any solar panel that violates that uyghur enforcement act request you tell me exactly were solar panels and the roman zero sourcing comes from . Which panels . Name them. Are three Major Companies that were bringing in panels at one point in time. Most of those panels. Question over those companies are from . As of the got couple or from china one might have been vietnam. But it is my understanding. None were american is what you basically pointed out, right . It was china and vietnam. The meeting we are prioritizing the idea of seizing American Energy in going after American Energy to prioritize what we already know as an adversarial nation. Im tired of hearing. Sir im talking please. Sensory strategic competition i am sorry, we are talking strategic competition. We are talking about the fact american economy, American Industrial base. American raw material supply capacity. Bility and our own ability to put americans to work. Our own ability to try to drive down inflation. We are in a direct Economic Resource and cyber warfare with china for 20 plus years it has been ignores. China has advanced the belt and wrote initiative. Try to dominate africa, taken over, blocking off core doors for mediterranean red sea, black sea, persian gulf so they can choke off supply chain. Meanwhile the threat going on with taiwan but we know china is continuing to violate International Treaties like one country to system framework of hong kong exhibited. We know chairman she wants to basically save face that was corrupted during the dynasty. My whole point is that we know all these things why on earth would we try to buildwo economically and not try to decouple from china as we should be in an effort to build American Manufacturing and jobs and American Workers in the american economy. We are not trying to build them economic i can assure you because his largest trade partner . Let me finish bread. Grade. America. Yes. But most economists. Most investors, most people of studied this issue very carefully do not believe it is possible to totally decouple from china projected absolute use orr i could type will utilie things like seabed harvesting for raw materials. If we look at the understanding ofwe what we can do as a nation from lng, from fracking for oil and gas. We are doing all those things be. Nothe biggest thing were going to get away and having tanks when going to implant on the battlefield our chargers for tesla prior to us deploying for where i will finish with this. The solar emergency we keep talking about and preemptively direct congress to spend tariffs on solar imports from four southeast asianom countries malaysia, cambodia, vietnam and thailand for the past two years this is despite the fact the bite f administrations own investigation found prc companies to be transit shipping pithe very countries to evade tariffs with the nothing to try and combat that. Instead weve gone ahead and increased our trade. China first america last agenda you are pushing i do not agree with the fact we are not allowing more manufacturing in america to continue. Not encouraging more than trying to trade with whats not not as competitor but an adversary but with that i yieldve back. There is nothing in President Bidens geared to try to assist what its been doing in a number of different ways. Some of them in violation of the wto some not. The fact is we had a solar industry,in germany had a solar industry. China dumped for a number of years and we lost those industries. President biden try to get them back that is the entire purpose of the Inflation Reduction Act and it is working. It is creating a new supply chain here in our country. In addition that the weaker act is being enforced. It is being enforced there are countless panels not coming into the act i dont agree with your facts which began with the presentation of the most outrageously persistent lies that i hear which is the private jet. We do not own a private jet. I dont own one i personally dont own a private jet. I was that stupid to talk about coming in a private jet from the state department up here. R. Honestly at that is where you want to go, goly there. Believe me. The chair recognizes. [inaudible] pickck the chair recognizes mr. Kim. Correct thank you mr. Chair. Secretary thank you for coming out over here. On the range of different issues i just want to ask you what is your agenda with regards the trip coming up in a couple of days. I think it be from the committee not just about the other what are you t trying to raise woody hoping to focus on . Because we have been interrupted several times of the course of the last year in the last six months anyway. What we are trying to achieve is to establish stability if we can end the relationship without conceding anything. There is no concessions im not going over with concessions or trying to do is find ways to address thedd crisis. China as the worlds secondlargest economy. And as the Worlds Largest emitter is critical to being able to solve this problem. It would be malpractice of the worst order diplomatic and political and common sense that other certain issues you feel like right now . We hope that is a good question congressman thankan yo. We hope that we can make some progress on a number of areas. Methane is particularly important for our cooperation. China agreed to have methane action plan out of our prior tocsin glasco. And we hope that is something we can make progress on her we hope we can make progress on the transition away from coal. Coal is the dirtiest fuel in the world. Additions that are not captured from coal are the worst is the warming of the ocean and the torrential downpour is that you see now because more moisture rises because the heating of the ocean. 90 the warming of the earth goes into the ocean. I know we are seeing exactly what w happens with these floods as a result of the increase moisture. There is a Clear Scientific tracking of relationship here. What we want to do is find ways to see if china and the United States can advance the cause together for the rest of the world. By accelerating rates of doing things. By increasing the deployment of renewables. By improving grid management. There are a host of things we think are worthy of o conversation. If we can make some progress on that we think we can tamp and down this edgy sense of competition which could lead to a mistake which takes you to a place you did not mean to go to pickwick to talk about methane a couple of times but weve also talked about cap 28 coming up later this year. I guess i want to get a sense what would success look like . What are you hoping to seek amount of that . Books are a number of things. First about already requires a global stocktaking. Evaluation of how the world is doing respect to the promises already been made exactly an o adaptation report which helped to make a judgment about how we can accelerate adaptation for places that are really in jeopardy. Island states, vulnerable nations they are the ones suffering the most but they do not contribute to the problem but they are suffering the most as a result of the problem. Then in addition to that the finalization of the fund that was created the loss and damage for which is a d recognition dos not have liability in it we specifically put phraseses in negate any possibility of liability but it is there to try to help some of these vulnerable less developed areas from the problems theyre facing. Now in addition to that we want to see global raising of ambition. Everybody has to try to reduce emissions faster. We have set an ambitious goal under President Bidens leadership 50 50 reduction in the missions f hopefully. We believe wear are on track too that even though theyve gone up slightly in this past year. What is happening right now in terms of new technology coming online. In terms of the reduction of coal the capture of admissions and so forth. We are at least able to turn the corner and reduce rather than increase. We think we can meet the targets we have set which will help keep 1. 5 degrees is the limit of the warming of the planet pickwick thank you mr. Chair yelled back. Crying thinking i will now yield for five minutes per. Pickwick thank you, y mr. Chairman. Mr. Secretary you said earlier its a quote i wrote down when youre answering a question from one of my colleagues. We have 12 years within which to make decisions to avoid the worst consequences of Climate Change. In regards to that quote my question would be what is the u. S. Doing to force china to reduce the co2 emissions . The 12 years the first row set by the scientists, not my number it is their number. They say that is the framework for. Regardless you adopted that as truth today before the committee. I adopted the best science in the world is a good guidepost for Good Governance. And i think thats what we need to emphasize. You are the special envoy on perhaps the president working on climate issue take the position of 12 years within which to make decisions to avoid the worst consequences than what are you doing to force china to reduce its co2 emissions . Im going there to start with but im not sure that he alone is enough to force them. Its a reasonable question. You have been asked to do this and ask you to the present ask you to go abroad and have this conversation with china. I went to note what were going to do its use of the word force its important to have dialogue about how you could both Reach Agreement too. Replace the word force to influence what he going to just influence china to reduce its co2 emissions . Quickly a very Successful Ground of meetings with t them and admitted significantly trying all give you an idea what china is doing now and responses on the pressure i think has been evidence. Once it real specific about actions youre going to ask them to what actions are going to the table . I told you we are looking closely as is europe and other countries we are looking at other ways to try to build to try. Our preference is to have time chinasay yes that makes sense. China hasnt because in the past decade as you know we have reduced emissions here in United States but in the same timeframe chinas emissions have increased all the while they continue as they were working on up it all the while you continue to go over there and asked him to work on it but weve not seen real deliberate action on their part to match the u. S. Efforts in this regard is that correct . We have actually seen some action which is not evident to everybody because people, they do notey advertise outside what happened let me answer your question. China is deploying manufacturing and deploying more Renewable Energy than all of the rest of the world put together. That is what they are doing prechina right now has somewhere in the vicinity of a couple thousand gigawatts. They are now going up and by 2030 our judgment is china may 22, 2400 gigawatts. Get what we are doing you pickwickyou said yourself this a global universalel issue. My colleague brought up human rights issues. A global universal issues . X absolutely. What i said is keep them separate in terms of priorities. I go there present she and President Biden agreed at the outset to separate out the climatet issue so it wouldnt t caught up in his other issues. Correct. It doesnt mean you dont talk about it. But it means theyre not going to becomeme showstoppers so they are playing one off against the other prerogative will give you an example. We do not trade any component of any of those other issues for what were trying to do in the climate front. On the climate front we have agreed we will deal with that. We have to find a pathway forward. There are other the assistant secretary of state the secretary ofof state of the nsc who deal directly on those other issues. Ten or trying to do . Make sure you do not have to worry jon kerrys going to give away someoi rights on human rigs in order to get is trying to get projects i get that. I presume youre going to have conferences with your counterparts are having those discussions on the other issues President Biden is said to you and those others which is more priority over the other question at my question would be o is hun rights the Biggest Issue is slave labor coming out . Congressman this administrations capable of escaping its properties on the table and treating them simultaneously we do not have to wrap them up so one becomes hostage to the other. Co you plan to hold tran accountable they do not follow that the activity youre going to suggest and reduce their emissions . Et they are able to get ahead of our economy by producing many more admissions and having less regulatory action on their businesses that we are here in the United States. We dont want that to happen. Thats how he going to hold them accountable . Is exactly why President Biden has asked us to examine the spirit. Ive never seen anand never n hold anybody accountable we need action perquisites xacto tapping of several senators and you have some in the house. I believe this number of house members looking at the border adjustment mechanism. I know senator coons and some others and now senator whitehouse have different plans for how to do that. This is skating some steam legislatively because people are frustrated by what is happening. You first got to come up with the legislation and somehow its got to pass the u. S. Congress. So hopefully we can get the progress we do not legislate china but we need to hold them accountable. You can legislate. The chair recognizes misting for five minutes. Correct thank you chairman mast. Very rich service to our country. As you point out and as the world knows the Climate Crisis is a globalsi problem requiring Global Solutions. International cooperation you are extraordinarily well suited from your passion for this subject. For your passion for this country and our world to be in the role you are in. We are lucky to have you and i think the administration on dayt one returning to the Paris Climate Accord which the former president in june of 2017 walked away from. What a shame for our country that happened. And not just as the legislature and a mom and a grandma. Ive got four grandchildren they are seeing the effects of Climate Change with extraordinary storms, smoke filling the atmosphere and hurting our eyes. In august of 2021 a crazy hurricane isaac came up right through suburban philadelphia fivecounty area massive flooding, tornadoes, unprecedented for our area in suburban philadelphia extraordinary loss and damage. I want to throw, i absolute share your opening thoughts about the opportunity in this moments. The absolute challenge of at the crisis in front of us in so many fronts but to date we are talking about climate. The unbelievable opportunity and the honor of serving on the Regional Leadership Council working directly with the administration for invest in america bill to bring these investments to every single one of our communities. You pointed out the historic transformational investments to ira and infrastructure. Could you give us a little more detail the Inflation Reduction Act dollars the transformational dollars as well as the bipartisan infrastructure bill and what this massive investment and i contrast this with the last Administration Never got any of these things done never dealt with climate just pulled out of the accord weve got massive legislation passed to make a difference for my grandchildren and their children. Can you emphasize some of those investments we need to make . Investments we need to make it happily and thank you congresswoman appreciate the question. The investments that need to be made are being made as a consequence of the Inflation Reduction Act. There is a certain irony in that the estimates are right now that about 338 billion targets of that act are being distributed and what are called red states and theres about 180 billion this going to what are called blue states. The vast largest benefit is going to parts of the country where you have skilled workers who were in other forms of Energy Production who can readily be available and transition into the new technologies whatever theyre going to beat weathers direct Carbon Capture or building out storage capacity. Frankly, what one of the beauties of that particular piece of legislation is, there is no one win. It does not pick a winner. What it is doing is creating incentives so people can go out and make their own decision about where theyd the best be. Rtunities are going to so a lot is happening right now. We have about 2000 gigawatts of Renewable Power that is queued up waiting for approval. But we need to do is find a way to bust that out and get it through the queue that will generate that much more energy in a clean energy for, the country but that is one example of whats happening with it. Owing to pick up on that iron is not dropped on any of us they will go out with equity. Not going out following the votes or the lack of votes that came for the massive transformation general changes. Want to take you to some the Opening Statements and i wonder what your reaction was. Think at some point someone eocalled you that youre carryig a far left radical agenda. I have to admit to you if anybody thanks its radical to care about the protection of this planet for future generations signed me up. It reminds me of Martin Luther king in the letter from birmingham jail where he was called a radical and extremist. He said wasnt jesus a radical for love . I embrace the term radical whenever im attacked that way and focus on something so worthy, what are your thoughts . Are you embracing some far left radical agenda . Thank you for the opportunity to hang myself. [laughter] i think i am pursuing common sense for political right, political left, republican democrat. Because asus i said what we are looking at is something that is human created. The problem we face right now comes from the way we inadvertently its the way the world developed starting in the middle of the 1800s with the Industrial Revolution and we have all benefited from it. Americanss particularly have hae the richest lives on the planet. We had the best healthcare. So many different pluses that have come with the development we were able to create. Now, we have learned as of 1988 alarm bell, problem. What you have been doing and taking for granted is actually destroying a lot of things on the planet. We lose about 8 Million People a year to lack of quality of air. Air pollution. Greenhouse gas, gases are pollution. In that pollution is having an impact on the lives of our fellow americans. Negative impact. We are now seeing because of what comes with the emissions piling up in the level of the atmosphere above the earth, that prevents the pooling normally taking n place. So this is totally documented. Everyone knows its happening. Humans creating it from the way we propel our cars, light our rooms and factories. Heat our homes. That is what it is it is admissions. And if we can figure out youve got a simple choice here. You either stop making those admissions or you can do something with them thats useful and does not harm things. There is no proof that we have the ability to be able to do that. A chair now recognizes mr. Perry for five minutes. Thank you chairman, thank you secretary. To get to net zero by 2050 do you support the Administration Goal of cutting u. S. Emissions in half by 2030 . Yes, i do. Including you and senator biden and which resolved the u. S. Should not cut admissions china, mexico, india, brazil, south korea other socalled developing nations cut emissions as well. Do you remember that . I do very, very well as managing the floor of the topics 97 have a missionsin in china, india, mexico all increased. Yes they have from the United States because global emissions have continued to increase as well, right . Yes. Quicksilver is countries submitted a credible plan to get to net zero admissions question of. Which countries . Worthless with china, india or mexico. No. It seems have you abandoned yourms position this other natis would cut emissions before americans would have to make choices between theic groceriesn their table and paying for these policies . Works the reality is the world changed in that period of time. Let me explain progress okay you voted that way pickwick some explain to the votes i did manage this on the floor and i know exactly because im the one that said to our colleagues causingeverybody out to vote fo. The reason was that it fundameny had the message that it is not fair that when we were trying but earlier its not fair a fors to be reducing in china it was s producing three times more emissions than us and then producing goods that come into our country from the dirty power and then we have a problem. So we wanted to addressha that. But we knew it not every aspect of that piece of legislation is what we all call a message. It was a message vote the vote was clear we wanted other people join us in the effort to reduce emissions. Ns fair enough a quickset is not happen sufficiently. Now a secretary in 2015 at the paris Climate Conference you said if all industrial nations go to zero admissions it would not be enough the white house climate day in january of 21 you said almost 90 of the planets admissions come from outside the u. S. We could go to zero tomorrow the problem is solved in april 21 you told the Washington Post that even the u. S. And china going to zero admissions tomorrow it wont solve the climates problem. Then in april of 21 you said global net zero is not enough co2 must be removed from the atmosphere. How much is the correct amount of co2 . Let me explain to you soon exactly what i said. It is close but is not quite exactly what i was saying. Let me tell you what i was saying im going to tell i you. Here is how it works. Because we put i forget the exact number of tons but millions of tons of co2 and other Greenhouse Gases are now in the atmosphere they are t there. Every day we are adding more. So everyday that he is going up and we have to figure out how were going to tame the monster here. The only way to do that is to reduce emissions on an ongoing basis to get control of the current level admissions we have created. Then. It actually stuck up her. Her with all due respect youve been through this before what is the correct amount . I do not want to spend about a History Lesson people dont care about it changes every day i cant tell you. Yes it does. A secretary, you probably know that for approximately 200 million years was the parts per million now about 400, right, we agree on that . About 200 million years 2000 parts per million did Mother Nature get it wrong for 200 million years . E, congressman. The difference is yes they were. Switch all scientists all the scientist to deal climate acknowledge that there have been moments on the planet which is billions of years old and which they were greater heat. Tell me the difference quickly. Ive a limited amount of time progressive differences human beings are creating. We are creating it so human beings are 100,000 years old but during these praise of time ors 2000 parts per million life existed. As a matter of fact we. Not human beings Walking Around no. The lowest periods of carpet in the atmosphere it not only recorded history in the history of life existing on the in december of 2022, you told the Washington Post we need to remove 1. 3 trillion tons of carbon via direct air capture. You said you didnt know. Since 2015 since the last el nino, 2015, look at the temperature graph. This is from noa. The temperature has gone town. You want have my atmosphere that might actually destroy life. Plant life all depends. As you know secretary plant life all depends on the difference between the periods youre looking at in terms of heat, senator, and human human input is night and they. Number 1. Number 2, why to you thinks 95 countries in the world, their Prime Ministers, their president s. Because they are drifting like you are, sir. Thats pretty shocking statement that you believe all scientists arers gifters. Not all scientists agree with you. 98 . You know that. Thank you,cc mr. Chairman. I wanted to start off by saying that representing fort lauderdale, we ups that the work that youre i think to, secretary, is very important. We thank you for being here. My first question, earlier this year i had the privilege to accompany Vice President harris to build on the commitments made during the summit last december. During travels the Vice President announced over 7 billion in privatesector and u. S. Federal government commitments to promote Climate Resilience and mitigation across south africa panels and generato. To what extent is it essential to improve our climate of africa to compete with china . You know, personally and a bit of talk personally on this. I do not think the choice we make with respect to africa ought to be based on what china is doing. It ought to be based on what we ought to be doing. What all of us ought to be doing. Africa, there are 48 subsaharan african countries, 48. That equals 0. 55 of emissions. They are not causing this problem. But 17 of the top 20 infected nations by claimant are in africa. Now if we dont stop and think about that in terms of Global Responsibility in Global Politics we are really missing something. Right now i find the tensions between global north and global south are growing. Food production effort is threatened. Water is threatened in South Central asia, africa, various places. This is why the congressman who was speaking earlier about showing on its charts. Is it telling this is not happening and it is fake. Somehow we are missing something. Only one group of people and they are here in washington. Rather than spread around the country. The fact is all around the world, smart people people who lead countries who are responsible for the lives of millions of people just like you are and we are are responding to the clearly defined crisis of climate. So, i think we have to look at this beyond china. We have to look at this the context of what is our responsibility to the future . And what is our responsibility to our fellow human beings and how do we deal the crisis that has been brilliantly described over these last 30 years or more. Everything predicted is happening only its happening faster and bigger than it was predicted my second question is according to the biting harris administration, National Security strategy impacts the United States more directly than the western hemisphere. In june haiti six. Intensive flash flood, rock sites and land size that destroyed thousands of homes and killed over 50 people combined with ongoing he managing crisis, and many haitians are looking to flee the country. Secretary, i see fight administration focuses on the root cause of migration, can you describe how taking action on Climate Crisis can help our nation and other natures citizens are looking to migrate . Thank you so much for the thoughtful question. Its really a major, major problem. There are no climate refugees already today who are moving across borders and looking for different places to live. Some of the people not all of the folks coming from Central America fit into that category. They were folks who used to farm find they cant farm the goods they were farming so they migrate. One of the things we learned during the course of the war in syria was one Million People moved into damascus which greatly complicated the work. Then they began to migrate became a Political Tool actually end or sort of push to migrate to europe and had a profound impact, a negative one on the politics as a result. This is a major issue and when we have to really Pay Attention to pickwick secretary went to ask will more question for me and it april people in my district witness unimpressive flash flood caused by the highest record of rainfall one single day the fundamentals and significant property damaged, the closure of the airport, all across south florida. Recently Ocean Temperatures in florida keys soared to 96 of his head and the impact of the rising temperatures on the regions marine ecosystem. Can you explain to us why this is happening and what is causing the increase whether extreme weather if there are people who do not believe in Climate Change . Thank you again. I just might point out i saw this article this morning that Farmers Insurance has pulled out of florida, affecting one of the thousand policyholders. And the reason the Insurance Company has pulled out is because this unprecedented change in weather patterns has affected their ability to be able to make policies and people to build so for those policies under the current circumstances. This has been a predicted happening. Everybody has been talked about the potential impact on insurance and now it is happening in various parts of the world. So the reason as i said earlier, 90 of the heating of the planet, which is documented goes into the ocean. That warming of the ocean then increases the moisture that rises from the ocean and travels around the pleasant with the planetary winds and when it decides to fall in rainfall it goes make it is much larger amounts than ever before because of the increase of moisture. It has changed window patterns and weather patterns in the heating has other ancillary effects were quick to chair now recognizes for five minutes per. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Secretary, it is a pleasure seeing here. Its a pleasure knowing you are in this administration. And i mean that quite sincerely. I am often disappointed in this Administration Im not as easily in lockstep with all of your opinions but you and i go back a long way of trying to do the right thing. First of all i wanted to get a figure you gave that i may have missed written you predicted, you did not give the amount they have today but you predicted 2200 gigawatts in china by 2030 is that accurate . That is what our current estimates are showing for this comes from a number of different sources. It could be more could be less but today how many gigs do they have . Roughly . Let me get back to is actually talking with folks about that yesterday and i could not get it pended out i will come back to you very. Theyll be good for me too have that. Thats a lofty goal but as you and i both know you go to china you see a lot of amazing cranes. But there when you go back you see cranes in the same position. It does not always mean theyre doing what they say theyre going to do. In 2021, you said, you told this committee that trusting china and Climate Change promises would be stupid and malpractice. With out drought directly is not quote again would you directly agree it still would be malpractice . I think trusting a lot of the players have been involved in this government and also private sector is not the smartest thing in the world because we have been burned. Now, china is a country that buys all of the above no question they buy a massive amount of hours in the rest of the world coal increase their call they are buying natural gas, theyre putting in nuclear and as you said they are doing considerable work that they produce. But india has a tendency to continue burning dung and coal. You are going to china but we had the head of india here for a joint session just recently. He said a lot of great things but he did not say were going to buy natural gas or do other incremental things to reduce the carbon footprint. Are we dealing with two problems . The china malpractice believe they say with theyre going to do and in india there constantly seemed to say they are too poor to do what they should do, to do any part of Climate Change reduction. Ex interest link leak congressman and thank you for the comments we have enjoyed working together on a number of things. India has a set of very lofty goal of trying to deploy 500 gigawatts of Renewable Energy by 2030. That is their goal. And if india could succeed in doing that, india would be in compliance with the effort. That would be 1. 5degree plan. I understand that mr. Secretary. But if for example india had simply switch to Coal Production to natural gas they would have produced more than that amount and they would have done so at a lower cost. So isnt it fair to say that india sets lofty goals like china actions speak louder than words . India is deploying for it they are are deploying their hope is to deploy into but they cannot afford they do not have energy for good to not have it because theyve not built the plans or sign the contracts for quickset is true. But on the other hand they cannot afford to do that on their own they were not able to at that point in time. India is growing now is economy is growing. Produce some joint initiatives going forward. I am actually going to india for the end of this month to follow up on conversations we had with both the Prime Minister being here but also before that was some of the others for. If i could squeeze in one more quick question, you are going to meet in china with a number of leaders. The present culture jinping, called him a dictator. Gu believe he wields the power of a dictator today in china . Meaning is his abilities similar to putins ability to affect what he says is going to do such that if he makes a promise he can keep it . There is no question at all that present she is the major decider of the direction and the policies pickwick to see it in effect a dictator . I dont think its useful to get into i am not going to get into but he does yield the power question or a quick seat yields enormous power as a leader of china absolutely. When everybody understands that. Do wish the president had prd used another word . Frankly all of that is like water up the dexa back and i dont think we ought to get tangled up in labels and names and whatever. We talked to do is look at the heart of it were trying to do. President biden is a very Good Relationship with president xi and present she vice versa. He admires the relationship he has with President Biden. And i think in secretary blinkens visit to china such and Janet Yellens visit with china were you saw in her own statements publicly and assessments there were frank conversations. The effort is well underway to try to stabilize and avoid conflict by virtue of unforeseen consequences or mistakes. They have had those meetings with india and china in writing or some other way thank you, mr. Chairman. The chair now it recognizes recognizes missedtitus for five. Lets excuse me, thank you, mr. Chairman. When you go towards the end there not many questions left to ask you had the luxury of listening to everything that has come before and reach some conclusions. One thing is my colleague on the other side called secretary most of the scientist in the world and the heads of 195 countries who belong to the un climate agreement grifters. That is something that should be taken down. But since he is gone at the typical hit and run fashion there will be not be much point. Arguments i have heard from both sides, on the other side of the aisle could not make china do anything. You cannot impose any restrictions on china. Therefore they should not be doing anything in the United States. On the other hand when you are getting a ready to go to china and try to negotiate something or make some points or try to influence their decision they do not want you to go. They think that is not a good idea. Also here pro china not pro american approach you are not helping u. S. Business and workers. On the other hand the people saying this voted against the Inflation Reduction Act which made a big investment in manufacturing and workers and Solar Energy Panels that we do not have to get from the uighurs that can be made here. Speaking of the uighurs there is a sudden interest in human rights of the uighurs parts not bother them too much to deal with saudi arabia when it comes to these issues. Also we know this is a world issue Climate Change it affects everything in demographics to politics with the mets and china exists on the globe. As Climate Change so pervasive in everything we do its not just about dealing with the next storm or the next wildfire it is so much of an impact on peacekeeping, on development of four countries on our role internationally. Your hearing from the other side diminishing our influence moved back into being International Leaders because of what europe is doing as a cuts in the budget going to make a difference to help the rest of the world would you address that kind of thing . Thank you very much. I would just say i got the figures delivered to me here it will take 15 seconds on this third china according to the International Energy agency by 2030 china will have somewhere between 3000 and 4000 gigawatts of Renewable Energy. That is 5 fathoms larger than any other country in the planet. So they are moving very aggressively in that regard. With respect, look. People really do count on america for a lot of things in the world. I think everyone should be extraordinarily proud of our history of doing things. We are the largest humanitarian donor in the world. Look about them in the days in africa, or ebola, through various counterterrorism efforts and other things. But we also, for a long period of time projected the soft power projection we helps people develop. We help people do more. That is been retreating in the last years. We are now less that a lot of other countries to help in climates. I think it does have an impact that people ask questions i certainly hear these questions where she doing this . Why or two more present . Look at who is giving us healthier and so forth. So i think you cannot just sit there, anywhere and wish that things are going to be as they have been historically. You have to invest in it you have to proactively have people on the ground. You have to build relationships. You have to do things that people see you doing not just on economic competitive basis but because its the right thing to do. I think we have fallen a little behind in that i think President Biden feels very strongly about living up to our commitments and our values. Thank you very much i yield back. Thank you missed titus. The chair recognizes mr. Waltz for five minutes. Mr. Secretary, exchange with mr. Mills you just testified under oath youve never owned a private jet. Mr. Chairman not to enter into the record article hear from february 15th of 2023 that the john kerry Family Private jet was sold shortly after accusations of climate hypocrisy. Do you stand by that testimony that you never owned or your family . Yes my wife owned a plane. But you flew on that plane . Not in a number of years but i have flown sure purposes article is inaccurate that your family owned a plane . You flew on a plane . My wife owned a plane. Here is the issue. This is not a partisan gotcha. We are asking americans to make serious sacrifices as we transition for the common good you are family and or your self are flying around on private jets that smacks hypocrisy and that hurts your cause mr. Secretary. But i will move on. Informed me lets at least let me set the record straight here. I do not fly on a private jet. I fly commercially. Let me let me finish. I have flown five times in the last two and half years on mill air which you also fly out. For some of you travel fly on, five times otherwise all of my trips are commercial airlines. You flown on a private jet and official or professional capacity since youve taken this position . Works possibly once. I trying to think progress and think you need to take the broader point of how this appears to the American People were asking them to make this request you or we are not asking americans not to fly. You are trying to create an unequal thinker. Know you have to lead by example mr. Secretary for. Which is why fly commercially. In that vein does your office or the state Department Keep a record of your official travel and scheduled meetings . Of course. What does that include the individuals are scheduled to meet with . Can you provide those records to congress . Will you provide those records or congress . Parts of who i have met with . Your official travel your official travel taxpayerfunded and what you are in this position for. Yes ill be happy to do that. Thank you appreciate your commitment. Switching topics here to some of the other diplomacy you have conducted in 2018 interview you admitted to speaking with Iranian Foreign minister three or four times from the start of the previous demonstration. How many times did you speak with the foreign minister, the Iranian Foreign minister during the last administration . And ill enter into the record that three or four times but lets take that at face value. Did you communicate with them using signal, whats up, telegram any other . Whats i do not recall. I met formally in the course of international specifically think it was new york, i saw him in munich at the Munich Security Conference which she was invited to. According to leaked audio provided by that New York Times you had told him Israel Attacked iranian assets in syria at least 200 times and you would reveal such sensitive information. Thats according to leaked audio now under oath you stand by your previous denial that ever happen . That absolutely. On the date that report came out we made it Crystal Clear in the release that we put out that never took place. It was at a time when there was a public discussion of those attacks. It was in public circulation. I do not know what he is confusing or what he did but i can tell you i never had that conversation. And i can tell you that in five years running with the largest prosecutors offices in america, two years as lieutenant governor, and 28 years in the senate, as a member of the intelligence committee, nobody ever question for this is right and raise that issue. Would you find appropriate a former Trump Administration official traveled around and talk to the same officials you are and said you do not have to abide by these agreements. Holdfast for 2024 a new regime for a new Administration May be coming in. And therefore undermining Current Administration diplomacy. Would you find that appropriate . Im not going to speak to any hypotheticals. I can tell you never engage in that for. Shadow diplomacy undermines american goals for. Shadow diplomacy is also saved us from a war. If you look at 1963 with the cuban missile crisis it was behindthescenes. I would posture you were shadow diplomacy now has us on the verge for. I was at a security conference. That is now exploding as they raced towards full enrichment from 20 to 60 on the verge of having a Nuclear Weapon and a nuclears arms race in the middle east. The reason that has happenedd is because donald trump. [inaudible] the reason that happened my friend is donald trump pulled out of that agreement. There was no way they could have had a Nuclear Weapon under the agreement that existed. And even in israel believe that agreement had done the job. X President Trump pulled out. The chairman recognizes mr. Snyder. Special envoy, secretary kerry thank you for your time today. Earlier there is an exchange you could only describe as childish i thought i would engage a little bit on the science i dont member how many billions. Four and a half. Or another way of looking at it 4,500,000 millennium. And i used to calm it with my kids walk there and exercise of where things play. In some of the numbers on that at the earth was a year old and formed in january 1 it would be mid february when life arose to be sometimes in midnovember the fish started swing in the oceans. The dancers would have been extinct around christmas. All of human existence would have been captured in the last hour of the last day of the year. This idea human existence is short. Of existence. The other thing mr. Secretary, just to state the obvious is there a difference between life and existing on earth . And civilization thriving on earth . And is what we are talking about addressing Climate Change making sure we are doing everything we can to ensure the civilization, society, america continues to thrive on earth . Indeed. Just another statistic i will point out. 40 of all people on earth livee within a wonder kilometers or 6. In the United States that is 50 of all americans live within 50 miles of the coast. Some of the notes and preparing in preparingfor this last nighte First Experience of Climate Change is often times whether its too much or too little. I think that is one of the key things we face. The biggest threat to a way of life to the civilization halting the displacement and other consequences is the greatest challenge one of the greatest challenges we face. Thank you for your leadership in addressing this. Last congress would pass a bar partisan infrastructure jobs active. We have the infection which is the greatest to date investments. One of the pieces of that that i am very proud of was the work we are doing unsustainable aviation fuel. We have to eliminate or reduce greenhouse emissions everywhere we can. We can electrify our ground fleet the air fleet will be something different. Secretary, can you talk about how we are working with our friends as well as our adversaries and competitors insurance were doing everything we can to reduce greenhouse emissions for the long term . Congressman, thank you. Obviously the entire un process is geared to bring people together around a common goal. That goal is to try to keep the earths temperature increase limited to 1. 5 degrees. Why . What the damage is to earth at certain levels of temperature. That is the goal the way to achieve that is to come together to negotiate some common sense approach as to how are going to deal with this . The 20 largest economies on the planets equal shy of 80 of all the emissions. Twenty countries are the principal cause of what is happening today. Ten of those countries or so have all to reduce emissions to keep the 1. 5 we are still working with other countries to empower them to do that. Not to shut down their economy overnight for life on the planet to help some of those countries be able to make that transition. We get a little stuck there because some people do not want to do that. Proximate to last points. The world cannot do. Sacrifices or costs or putting on people by not addressing are far graver it will cost more cleaning up after major extreme weather events hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, droughts, every one of these is an economic burden across the nation across the world we dont act now liquids that were sailed back for. Adjournment yields about thank you for being here. You are unelected non Senate Confirmed basically. The cost it up some of these climate agreements american taxpayer in its going to cost them . Congressman the last thing i wanted to be in life was a bureaucrat. We all are. I am the government. Let me just say the costs, we all committed internationally the world committed into a fund never met that i cannot run from them all theres bits and pieces to it by and large we are seeing many of those did not retain themselves many times over because of the transformation of our economy. Asked the un finance you are right. The un finance analysis suggests it will cost trillions of dollars. Maybe two and half to four and half trillion a year between now and 20502 affect the full transition to clean energy economy. Both sets calpain and private sector funding that will invest in these new technologies and in the economic opportunities. We have to build out a confident new grid to balance the distribution of energy. You understand when they invest the money doesnt just appear. I was always in the state legislature looks for another nickel on the can of beer. Theyre going to pass that on to your constituent. I hope you understand and let me move on a little bit. Can you explain why you and other members of the u. S. Delegation to the United Nations Climate Conference in 2021 and 2022 did not follow the president s correction to track your Carbon Emissions . Yes. It is unfortunate. They ran into problems apparently and how it could get measured and how it could get approved. It should be done and we are trying to get people. Of the bureaucrats . I guess. You have also agreed countries need to pay poor and developing countries for loss and damage due to Climate Change. Light to the good folks in east tennessee who worked very hard for their dollars for herself age. The not specifically paying for a flood of United States as i said at republican and democrats administrations alike president george w. Bush put a significant amount of money into the program in africa. We try to help the world. You all as the elected officials the balance what is that about going to be . And for what . It specifically ago. Rich and the civilization is better than the fact in pakistan when they are last year in an unprecedented flood, we put 100 million i think it was ultimately to help them recover. Could it on to Something Else mr. Secretary, i apologize to you. We said china is considered a developing country, that could be left for later debate. How Many American tax dollars do you intend to pay the Chinese Communist party for Climate Change . None we are not paying them for that. There is not been one bilateral 2018. When President Trump was president of the United States. The bite administration has put zero into that. Thank you mr. Secretary, thank you, mr. Chairman for. That youre not recognizes mr. Keating for five minutes for. Thank you mr. Gerry thank you for allowing me too wait on on the committee today, thank you secretary kerry for being here your experiences is well known. Event in the executive branch of the State Government level. You have been in the senate. Legislative sector for 28 years secretary of state. I think perhaps in this mornings testimony what we heard as a reflection of that to an extent. The question posed to you in your official capacity the providence of the secretary of state of the United States or some of the Solutions Found in the legislative site in the house with the senate. You are here as the envoy. You are here is important new position that was created. If you look at the importance of Climate Change right now it is clear. That touches everything. If youre doing an legislative committee you could be testifying in front of the committee or the Intel Committee, or the agriculture committee, or energy and commerce, homeland, appropriation. If you are dealing with cabinet responsibilities directly affected in important piece of their function. So i think given your background or government is well served. By having you in this role envoy together see one important position. And i thank you for that. I want to give the opportunity this morning in the last of the queue here mercifully you might be thinking, but last in the queue or pretty close i want to give you the chance. We talked to at the past has been for some people going back to creation. We talked about the near term effects that we are doing it affects how we are doing. But given the importance of dealing with the issue existentially. Given the fact that scarcity of water rates were great famine creates migration. Everything that we have the eminence of things getting worse. Could you take a few moments and share some the discussions youve had in the knowledge you have had on what the futures going to look like more concurrently . Not just deadlines and dates. This is real stuff. Theres a real urgency to this. Can you take a few minutes of how this is going to affect the lives of everyone on this planet. I was going to affect all of those areas. And to share with us some of the things you have learned talking with others around the world . Thank you congressman. Obviously you are already synced ways in which it will affect people. Missing storm intensity spending billions of literally trillions of the last 10 years. That is money thrown away in a sense. Not that it is inappropriate it should be helping people. But it make a lot more sense if we were avoiding in the first place to minimize . You ask the question what is it going to look like . That depends on what we decide to do. Very obvious there are huge threats here. Literally Food Production for ar the entire continent could implode. Master the rhine river was down inches because of it. You are seeing glaciers their absolute predictable as to when they will be completely gone. And, at the rate the ice is melting in the north and south in the antarctic and the arctic, there are dire predictions about how we move forward bite 30 years at the pace of which it is vanishing. And parts of the earth is warming much faster than other parts the arctic is warming faster than the rest other places are. We are hitting heat levels in places that have never been lived by human beings on a regular basis. What its like going to look like in the future question rick i am an optimist im genuinely an optimist about this. I am watching what is happening because of the Inflation Reduction Act. Im seeing new processes, new seriousness of purpose among people who up until now never thought they had to be serious. I have a sense if we could come together and continue to accelerate the reduction of these admissions we have incredibly Bright Energy future staring us in the face. We can have clean energy. We can have energy if not renewable is still clean and nuclear whichever prayer look at the u. S. Navy, we have had ships that are Small Nuclear plant that never had a sailor killed, lost or an accident. Never had a spill. We know how to do this we are not choosing to do many of things available to us to do this. I think there is a huge exciting set of possibilities for what will happen in this new economy that is going to develop and it is going to develop because i see the most serious of our entrepreneurs the most successful of our entrepreneurs, the best of our financiers all of them are seized by this issue and are out there trying to push new processes, new technologies new possibilities and if we do what historically we humans have done your going to hopefully adapt and make the right choices. The chair not recognizes the yield back progress chart recognizes mr. Smits. Thank you very much mr. Secretary print welcome its good to see you again. Let me set the outset how grateful i was when you were secretary of state legislation i had introduced to help end the practice of child abduction, the bill passed twice sean and David Goldman sean was the young man who subducted, you change the policy of the Obama Administration because before that they were against it. Its out there for five years. And i want to thank you for that. I have an oversight hearing on just the other day. Might committee we are mitigate in the number of child abductions that are occurring and help bringing people back so thank you so much. It was your change of heart not you but the change of the administration that made that happen but im very, very grateful for and he would like to ask you if you could i had a hearing class ive chaired to 79 congressional hearings on human rights abuse in china my most recent was yesterday i chaired the China Commission i was fired because he wore free the uighurs on his shoes. He was fired because of that and as a result the nba and i think it a cowardly way that told everybody just shut up, say nothing about human rights in china in his testimony was absolutely compelling we are going to do a followup he is inviting her we are inviting them to come in here and put it last july i chaired a hearing we were lantos. He was on the exploitation of children and adults. Democratic and republican congo who were mining quote lithium. We found out and ive raised this issue before its a catalyst for it we need to do more on this. Something on the order of 40000 children are in these lines they are dying, they are getting sick. There are caveins. They are inhaling all kinds of debris. Who runs at all . The Chinese Communist party. They owned just about every mind there all the finished product they arent finished but the mind product of cobalt is sent to china for processing and then it goes into by way of the batteries and it seems to me no matter where anyone comes down on the having more electric vehicles it should not be on the backs of african children in the congo a were else. 70 of all the cobalt as you know desk come from the congo. I introduced a bill hr 44. 3 that would look to enforce section iii zero seven. Require an all out effort to try to protect those children and those adults from this egregious human rights practice by the chinese cummins party. I did meet with our ambassador it was a very good meeting a couple of weeks ago and i had known they are taught, mou the problem of the mou is my sense of the congress or Senate Language there is no teeth in it. I am asking you today i know you are very much in favor as is the administration on electric vehicles. The supply chain should not be contingent upon whether or not to get it from the congo by way of the chinese cummins party. Please take a look at the bill. We have got to protect those kids and those adults. They are dying. We had people talk about lung diseases that are getting print these kid these kids have no health care so they just die. There are beatings by Chinese Communist soldiers who are there and the congo leadership look it is other day because they are perhaps getting paid o off. If you can speak off of the cobalt and the lithium from congo. Thank you very much for your persistence over the years, work on all of this. You have been really ten ashous and super focused and pleasure to work on it before. Let me just say we have mou in zambia and add Processing Capacity there. We are focused on it and i will convey, your thoughts i appreciate the mou is a good idea. It doesnt go far enough. Again when the chinese got his party is paying people and that is happening. I would love to own all and to spread the wealth from that to their own people. Its all going to be progress of the prc. Another takes place. Please take a look at the bill. I got it thanks for the chart recognizes mr. Huizinga for five minutes. Thank you, mr. Chairman and secretary kerry. I pressured the opportunity would like to ask a couple questions. Before i go into partnership for Global Infrastructure and investment in some other projects i want to touch base on Nuclear Energy. Thats been somewhat controversial. Obviously ensuring have sufficient base load is significant. I served in the Michigan Legislature spent six hours on the technology committee. I serve on financial Services Committee do a lot of work with development banks. And have over my tenure here. I have a my district potentially one of the first projects. Its that palisade power plant in michigan. That may be restarting it is a program that is new. It is on the brink of decommissioning and could come back. Obviously United States working to reassert itself for Global Energy leader. It is wise to szabo is happening in europe that we break our own and our allies dependence on Energy Resources and global bad actors. Do you believe projects to help her way to achieve these goals what is your view on restarting to Nuclear Power plants . Proxied by the administration is very proactive we believe you cannot really read targets that have been set without some nuclear. About three minutes are going to try to move quickly. What a Small Modular Nuclear reactor project in which the partnership and Global Infrastructure and investment is invested 14 million. Are there any concerns or policy willingness or potential willingness to forgo financial viability of projects to satisfy the environmental side. Are you looking at the Business Model as you are involved . Lets it is imperative. Except to move to a question regarding the scope and authority. This is a new position. Very new to a lot of people including those of us were constitutionally obligated to have oversight of those things. And i am curious, direct funding to find the as well as your salary in your travel is akamai the state department . Yes. Yet you do not report to secretary blinken, correct . What surety appeared x im not trying to create progress i know youre not. With strict l thats great. Informally, obviously, i keep the secretary theres only one secretary. Thats informed. I consult with him. Reclaiming my time on this. You served in that position, in that position, you had the authority and then ability to negotiate on behalf of the United States and and had ability to bind it or speak on behalf of the president. What what are o the scopes of your duties with this and under what authority are you able to two in and be able to all intents and purposes negotiate on behalf of the United States . Well, im negotiating formerly charged by the president of the United States and his executive authority and the appropriate congressional notification and approval and executive order that rate created a job. Okay. We have used envoys. I dont think anything quite this scope. That may be because of the scope of the problem. Sure quote i would also suggest a call or meeting soon to update him on fy 22 and 23 focusing on all the elements we cannot put on paper. What are the elements that cannot be put on paper . Fax i have no idea. Extrinsically to pull him in jets that question are you going to go ask and find out . Whats personally absolutely. Im not sure what it is. I find my time has expiring here. But my understanding is there is a request for fiscal year 2022 the state department has said they will not be able to fulfill until 2025. April 2025. Does that sound right to you . Whats it does not sound right. So that be acceptable . Telethon acceptable. And i believe it was an algorithm that kicked that out kind of crazy and maybe that was a metaphor for other kinds of challenges. I cannot imagine need them takes a long partial pledge to work with us on expediting that . Flexible communicate to the office you are asking its important. Mr. Secretary i know you have trouble. We have one more member to ask questions. The chair recognizes for five minutes. Thank you, mr. Chairman thank you for letting me too be on this committee. Secretary good to see you. I want to followup on a couple of things. Before i get to that i know youre traveling to china i hope that will include touting American Energy. China has a rapidly produced coal plants over the past couple of years. They are concerned about baseload capacity. They are concerned about alice. Administration officials the Chinese Communist party is the leader around the world in combating Climate Change. Which is incredulous. You can reduce the co2 footprint immediately overnight by about 50 . Following up on my colleague in your position as a special envoy made it clear you do initiate on behalf of the president. Do you have the authority to bind agreements . No. You are negotiating the sale ratified by the congress. That is not a treaty mind you its an executive agreement. So it is binding with that administration but not be on them. In this position to advise president by not Energy Policy . In terms of global challenges in u. S. Interests. To do advise the president in recent months to travel and opec to increase production of oil and gas . No i did not request secretary granholm my primary committee and energy and commerce a little wiggly on whether primary advisor Energy Policy for this administration. She is in regards to the Energy Policy sure she is. I cannot wait to the answer for them trying u. S. For an increase in production of oil and gas. Let me ask you this. Ive asked the question, do the renewable sources of energy like wind and solar lets limit it to those. Do they have the ability to provide mark. Backup baseload, no. Some primary they could be part of it. But can they own their own . Guaranteed the sun was not shining, it know we all know. That is good. Im glad to hear that. Its really the fight. There are ways to make that work. Germany is a very high percentage. Check select brother germany. Im actually concerned about that path request so are we. Is completely ignoring nuclear and debbie having russian natural gas its moving in a direction that could get them in the very bad spot with regards. When we look at the administrations desire specifically the epa to have a mandate with tvs in this country theres a couple different timelines, how much electricity does the United States use on an annual basis right now . What state do not know exactly where we are. Its 4000 terawatts. How much additional demand would we need if we get to lets call 50 mandate, to a 7 million cars. Whats a sketch of the secretary of energy said. I think its less than that. Here is my point. I question the epa director, secretary granholm, other high highranking officials in the administration i do not believe anyones on the map on this. There are multiple balls in the air here we are talking about energy. And ill think anyone in the Administration Company dont think i know because we cannot get a straight answer. So when you go to china and talk to chinese about baseload capacity the power thats required there, i think theyre doing math on building to meet the demand. So all do respect i know you represent a district that has tremendous wind and so forth. Do you have a lot of knowledge of this but i think there is a recent article showing was in fact renewables that help texas through the hurdle. As of its reliability and where the energy comes from. But let me just say to you i did the map i know the mouth. I know there is a clarity as a number of electric vehicles go up as you electrify the country in various ways, going to need a lot more power that is precisely why the administration is trying to move on permitting for many of the transmission lines that are essential to get that out there. We have about 2000 gigawatts now of potential power in the queue. That is not able to be deployed. So if we can deploy it more rapidly we will meet the need for a. Mr. Chairman 10 seconds. So we are going to enter into a crisis this country if we do not use the resources that are primary sources. I am not in all of the above. I have the best of the above and mr. Secretary, please advocate for the best of the above in this country which source of primary sources like liquefied natural gas to come out of the building basin and is critical that we lead in the world or we will be cold, dark request to also believe the going to capture the emissions are going to make them . These companies are doing just that we have produced harmful emissions once i will look for. You believe that and brought the scale . And be affordable . Gone from 1 million a barrel a day. What percent of the total production of the United States is doing that with most heartfelt mission. Thats great. I have had conversations with many of the ceos of our Biggest Companies asking them and trying to get fully knowledgeable. The key is folks, weve got to be the target of the reduction of omissions. We know that will help us avoid the consequences of what is happening and that is the key. Im not picking which way it happens i want to see whats going ask mr. Chairman thank you yelled back. Think it was just average for your time today rethink your answers. On this committee do not approve of engaging personality. So we have her committed request i mention one thing though . Think of your stewardship of this hearing which i really appreciate. I did not get a chance to answer. Have a couple minutes. This is truly in my mind but i want to make it clear because it keeps resurfacing. We are not i have not, President Biden has not we are not saying people should not fly. At the stuff the message. The messages lets find a way to make sure we are able to fly we are not leaving emissions that we cant capture early parks capturing and avoid them in the first place by avoiding. We look for technology to help us. When somebody says youre asking people to sacrifice, no we do not believe this transition requires sacrifice. It will wind up making life better cleaner, healthier our country will be strengthened. That avoids the problems . This battle over the airplane or whatever is kind of ridiculous we are not saying people should not fly. You should fly but lets find a way to make sure its not contributing emissions just as when you drive we do not want to be contributing emissions or would you have a building, buildings are a big source of omissions building and away they are not contributing pollution which is in effect what it is, in ways that hurts people. That is our hope that we can get onto a more serious how do we solve this problem which i think is selfevident to anyones eyes are open and whose mind is open at the same time. Ex officio closing thoughts for. Thank you sir. Wrap up a few thoughts for myself. I would say this, i started with some questions myself i did not fit all the answers that i want but it is important that your office, every office every Congressional Office has transparency it is important that we know what your Mission Statement is for it what you are trying to do on behalf of the American People. Whether every american agrees with you or not is important to know what backgrounds they come from, the ways in which individuals are vetted for me personally there are various kinds of power we see the United States of america its important we put the fear of god into those that challenge us when it is soft power i think it is important we look at every wayin which that soft power may help americans or they help our adversaries, our enemies for those who wish to rise up against us and take that accordingly into account. I hope that you do that. In that i would just say this too well on your travel south to safety on your travels. I think if your testament other members of the subcommittee they have some additional questions for the witness. We would ask you to respond to those in writing. I went out recognize my colleague mr. Crowe for five mre minutes of closing remarks. Think you chairman thank you secretary kerry for your testimony on your time here today. First of all i want to rebut a couple of themes that were prevalent throughout the hearing. It is wrong to say that your office and the state department and the folks that work with you and for you have been nothing but transparent. Just yesterday you produced a 700 pages of material in response to requests from this committee. You have been in my view nothing but transparent and open including today spending well over two hours answering everybodys questions until the very end ensuring everybody had their opportunity and i thank you for that. It is also wrong to say that engagement with the world including with our adversaries and those who we do not have Common Ground in all areas isnt anyway a show of weakness. It is actually a show of strength to engage with the workmen to do so from a position of confidence. We do not have to have a crisis of confidence that we shy away from conversations in tough situations and we show that very clearly i applaud your effort including today going to have very hard conversations with the people we have very deepseated disagreements with because thats in the best interest of the American People. It is also beat wrong the subject of personal attacks im grateful for the chairman calling out that the course of conduct to thank you chairman for mentioning that because you have been a Public Servant to this nation in a variety of capacities, your adult life including your military service as well which we find common faith and fidelity and im grateful for that. So, you know, theres the saying in politics, you cant attack the message and you have nothing to say, m you attack the messenger. Unfortunately you were at the brunt end of e that. We will respond accordingly but thank you for being calm and for staying foe used on the important issues. But these are substantive issues and the American People deserve a full a and robust discussion about it and you have adequately outlined forqu the committee and for the American People that this is in our best economic interest. The make future of the country relies on us making this transition, theyll be more jobs, stronger economy, a more resilient economy that our safety relies on us making this transition in refusing risk to flood, to wild fire, to pandemic and so many other major crisis that our world and our country face. And its in our National Security interest to thats we make this transition, that we nawill be a safer and more prosperous country if we engage globally. If we win the strategic competition around the world and we address the National Security issues, so thank you forun makig that strong case. And i f join the chairman in wishing you well on your travels and i yield back the balance of my time. All members have 5 days to submit statements, questions, without objection, the mitt committee stands adjourned. Very much. I didntid know i had the option not to stay till the end. [laughter] since 1979 with partnership of the cable industry, congressional hearings, briefings and committee meetings, cspan gives you a frontrow seat how issues are debated and decided with no commentary, no interruptions and completely unfiltered. Cspan, your unfiltered view of federal government. At 9 30 p. M. , how comic and cartoons have portrayed president hosted by the White House Historical association and the library of congress. Find the full schedule on your Program Guide or watch online any time at cspan. Org history. Join us as we embark in captivating journey in partnership with the library of congress which first created a book that shaped america list, won awards, led to significant societal changes and they are still talked about today. Hear from featured renowned experts. Watch our tenpart series, the books that shaped america on cspan. Cspan. Org. [music] Public Servantlong with the other televion providers giving you a frontrow seat to democracy. House financial Services Committee held hearing on Climate Change risk and the federal deposit insurance corporation. During the testimony they discussed the role of government in setting climate goals for companies and impact that environmental legislation and local politics. This is about two hours and 10 minutes