Missing Waxman Already

“Following 40 years of sustained fighting on behalf of human health, the environment, and a livable climate, Congressman Henry Waxman (D-CA) announced on Thursday that he would retire from Congress after this year.

“In 1974, I announced my first campaign for Congress,” he said Thursday in a press release. “Today, I am announcing that I have run my last campaign. I will not seek reelection to the Congress and will leave after 40 years in office at the end of this year.”

Climate change stayed a national legislative priority. “To me, this is an issue more important than all the other things we’re spending time on,” he told the National Journal in 2013. “It’s more important than the budget, sequestration, the debt ceiling — 10 years, maybe five years from now, people aren’t going to say, ‘What did we do on those issues?’ They’re going to say, ‘What did Congress do on climate change?’”

For much else to thank him for see Think Progress

“I still feel youthful and energetic, but I recognize if I want to experience a life outside of Congress, I need to start soon. Public office is not the only way to serve, and I want to explore other avenues while I still can.”

It’s unclear who will step into his shoes to forcefully advocate for climate legislation, but the nearly three dozen other House members in the Safe Climate Caucus (such as Reps. Lois Capps, Donna Edwards, Keith Ellison, Tulsi Gabbard, Raul Grijalva, Jared Huffman, Jerry McNerney, Chris Van Hollen, and Peter Welch) could be a place to start.

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