Jayapal Brings Climate Science Expert As State of the Union Guest

SEATTLE, WA – Today, in advance of a State of the Union address that will likely lack any mention of climate change and our country’s pressing environmental challenges, Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) announced climate scientist and Dean of the College of the Environment at the University of Washington, Lisa J. Graumlich as her guest for the speech. 

“Climate change is creating refugees, claiming lives and costing taxpayers billions of dollars. The Trump administration continues to push our planet down a path of destruction. Instead of tackling the problem head-on, President Trump is burying his head in the sand and handing out favors to his friends in the coal industry,” said Rep. Jayapal. “In fact, it’s unlikely that President Trump will mention climate change or the dire need to protect our environment in his State of the Union at all. We have a moral responsibility to ensure we have clean air, clean water and healthy communities for all. Climate scientists like Dean Graumlich understand that this is the most pressing social issue of our time. I’m so honored to have her as my State of the Union guest this year.”

“The Washington Congressional delegation have been long-time and staunch champions of UW’s College of the Environment, and particularly our efforts on sustainability, ocean acidification, forest fires and climate change. As scientists, we know that the world has already warmed as a result of human activity,” said Dean Graumlich. “Our champions share our understanding that continued global warming is and will continue to pose challenges to our economy, our culture and our ecosystem. It is an honor to be the guest of Rep. Jayapal at the State of the Union as she continues to use her voice to raise awareness of this issue and its critical impacts.”

Dean Graumlich is the inaugural dean of the College of the Environment at the University of Washington. She leads a college with unparalleled knowledge of environmental systems. Dean Graumlich, a scholar herself, pioneered the use of tree-ring data to understand long-term trends in climate. She received her B.S. in Botany and M.S. in Geography from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and her Ph.D. in Forest Resources from the University of Washington.

Issues: Environment