Warren, Escobar Reintroduce Legislation to Strengthen Military Readiness, Adapt to Climate Change
The Defense Department is the largest consumer of fossil fuels on the planet
Bill Text (PDF) | Bill Section-by-Section (PDF)
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Representative Veronica Escobar (D-Texas), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, reintroduced the Department of Defense (DOD) Climate Resilience and Readiness Act to address the Pentagon's contributions to climate change and to mitigate climate change's impact on our military readiness.
The Department of Defense has long recognized that climate change threatens the nation's military readiness and coastal infrastructure. Multiple military leaders have testified before Congress to confirm the threat that climate change poses to our national security and strategic interests, as well as confirmed the need to address climate change. To adequately address these risks, serious changes will be required of the Pentagon's operations and carbon emissions.
The Department of Defense Climate Resiliency and Readiness Act would require the DoD to take specific actions to adapt to climate change and improve energy efficiency:
"Our military readiness and national security depend on how we adapt to climate change," said Senator Warren. "This bill will update our military's infrastructure and operations with the urgency needed to protect against the worst effects of climate change."
Senator Warren and Representative Escobar initially introduced this bill in May 2019 and again in July 2021.
Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) co-sponsored the bill. In the House, Representatives John Garamendi (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Military Readiness, along with Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) and Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii), both members of the House Armed Services Committee, were original co-sponsors.
The DoD Climate Resilience and Readiness Act has been endorsed by Sierra Club, League of Conservation Voters, Public Citizen, and Earthjustice.
Senator Warren has been a leading voice on the Senate Armed Services Committee calling for actions to combat climate change: