HONORING RAFE POMERANCE

On 2026-06-10, Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-7) delivered a floor speech titled "HONORING RAFE POMERANCE" in the House.

HONORING RAFE POMERANCE

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 98 (Wednesday, June 10, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 98 (Wednesday, June 10, 2026)] [House] [Pages H4060-H4061] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING RAFE POMERANCE (Ms. Jayapal of Washington was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Ms. JAYAPAL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Rafe Pomerance. Rafe passed away on May 21 at the age of 79 in Washington, D.C. Rafe fiercely and steadfastly championed environmental causes for nearly five decades. Rafe was a beloved advocate for climate action. Born in New York City in 1946, Rafe grew up among nature in Connecticut and was a graduate of Cornell University. He was an activist, organizer, policy expert, and diplomat. The New York Times described him as the ``Paul Revere of Climate Change,'' an environmentalist who discovered an obscure 1979 report that burning coal heats the atmosphere, a man who devoted his life to warning the public and policymakers about the dangers of climate change. He dedicated his life to uplifting the dangers of climate change and was instrumental in advancing awareness of the issue. Rafe set the foundation for understanding climate change as a comprehensive problem that demanded urgent policy action. When Rafe first started this work, inspired by a report by the Environmental Protection Agency on the impact of coal emissions on global warming, the risks of climate change were not being recognized or addressed. Scientists had been measuring increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration since the early 1960s, but their warnings remained largely overlooked by both governments and civil society. Rafe was one of the few who recognized the magnitude of the threat and was compelled to sound the alarm. He organized the first briefings ever about climate change with policymakers, developed relationships with news media to bring the issue into public view and mobilize stakeholder groups to pursue collective action. Today, climate change is one of the key issues driving political discourse, in large part because of Rafe's early leadership and insistence that we could not afford to look away. Throughout his distinguished career, Rafe served the American people in government and nonprofits. He was the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Environment and Development from 1993 to 1999. In this capacity, he represented the United States at both the Berlin and Kyoto Conferences of the Parties. Rafe was instrumental in organizing the 1986 Senate hearings on climate change and helped negotiate a landmark UN treaty on global greenhouse emissions. Rafe was a dedicated champion for the environment at a number of organizations including Friends of the [[Page H4061]] Earth, the World Resources Institute, the Climate Policy Center, Arctic 21, the Polar Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences, American Rivers, the League of Conservation Voters, Climate Action Network, and the Potomac Conservancy. Rafe continued his advocacy until his passing, primarily through his leadership on the Upper Limit Project, an effort to establish an upper limit on sea level rise in order to protect coastal communities and help the world better understand the real-world consequences of climate change. Through that work, he argued that climate policy must not only focus on temperature targets but also on preventing catastrophic sea level rise that threatens economies, ecosystems, and the future of coastal cities around the world. He continued his advocacy literally until the last days, until his passing, remaining an outspoken leader on the need for urgent action to save our planet. I was blessed to know Rafe through his daughter, Lilah Pomerance, who has served as my incredible chief of staff for the past 6 years here in Congress. I see Rafe's legacy exhibited in her every day. The commitment to service, compassion, and big ideas that drove him have been passed to the next generation, and I am so grateful for this and for all of Rafe's contributions to our planet and our people. I am proud to be joined in the Chamber today by Lilah; her husband, Dan; and her daughter, Noa, as we celebrate Rafe's life and contributions. Rafe is survived by his wife, Lenore Pomerance; his children, Lilah, Benjamin, and Ethan; two siblings; and seven grandchildren. Through his enduring legacy and his love for his family, for his friends, for his community, and for this planet that we live on, Rafe's legacy will continue to shape the fight against climate change and touch the lives of so many across the world. I thank Rafe Pomerance. ____________________