Whereas sea level rise is worsening flooding during king tides and increasing storm surge from hurricanes and is already a costly problem that needs to be addressed; Whereas rising sea levels amplify the threat and magnitude of storm surge in coastal areas, meaning the impact and power of hurricanes will only increase, endangering even more coastal property and infrastructure; Whereas our national defense is of the utmost priority and the significant impact of flooding at, on, and leading into coastal bases diminishes our ability to train, maintain, and deploy; Whereas more than half of Florida’s 21 military bases are along the coast, and specifically Naval Air Station (NAS) Key West, Naval Station Mayport, and Kennedy Space Center are of concern; Whereas Federal reports show that Mayport has experienced sea level rise at 1/3 inch per year, a pace that’s accelerated since the 1990s; Whereas NAS Key West has the majority of 5,800 acres at or under 3 feet above sea level, and 80 percent of its land is exposed to flooding by Category 1 hurricanes; Whereas the Kennedy Space Center has an ongoing shoreline restoration project and critical needs around historic launch complex 39A and B, and billions of dollars of infrastructure and technology sit just a few feet from the current shoreline; Whereas projected sea level rise will only exacerbate the flooding problems around bases, especially those along the coast, further jeopardizing our national defense and weakening our combat readiness; Whereas sea level rise and flooding cause damage to coastal homes, disrupt transportation networks with longer commutes, adversely impact small businesses and other commercial interests, impose additional costs on our cities through infrastructure and drainage system upgrades, and erode our beaches; Whereas the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) estimates that roughly 40 to 60 percent of small businesses never reopen their doors following a disaster