In a speech before a Republican-led Congress that has rebuffed calls for climate action, Pope Francis Sept. 24 made a short but direct plea for them to "avert the most serious effects of the environmental deterioration caused by human activity." "I call for a courageous and responsible effort to redirect our steps and to avert the most serious effects of the environmental deterioration caused by human activity," Francis told a packed House chamber in the U.S. Capitol. "I am convinced that we can make a difference, and I have no doubt that the United States and this Congress have an important role to play," Francis said. "Now is the time for courageous actions and strategies" to bring about what he called "a culture of care" and said he is confident the "outstanding academic and research institutions" of the U.S. "can make a vital contribution" to human health and the environment.
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