Senator Steve Daines (R-UT) has introduced a resolution arguing that Biden cannot bring the United States back into the Paris Climate Accord without the approval of two-thirds of the Senate.
On his first day in the White House (Jan. 20), President Joe Biden signed an executive order for the United States to return to the Paris climate agreement, but some Republican senators have called for the plan to be sent to the Senate for review and a vote.
Returning to the Paris Climate Accord was a central part of Biden’s first day as president, which he described as “aimed at restoring U.S. leadership in the fight against global warming,” as Biden seeks to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050.
But some Republican senators have deep-rooted political differences with the president on global warming policy, and Senator Steve Daines (R-UT) has submitted a resolution arguing that Biden cannot bring the U.S. back into the Paris Climate Accord without the approval of two-thirds of the Senate. There are currently 50 Democrats and 50 Republicans in the Senate, and if there is a tie between the two parties, Vice President Kamala Harris’ vote will decide the winner.
Daines said, “I urge President Biden to bring the Paris Climate Accord to the Senate floor for consideration, in accordance with the Constitution.” Daines’ resolution was supported by five other Republican senators – John Barrasso, Jerry Moran, Roger Marshall, Cynthia Lummis and Mike Crapo ).
Senator Cruz also strongly opposed a return to the Paris Climate Accord, saying that the Biden Administration is not about “restoring U.S. leadership abroad” or “solving the climate crisis,” but rather “Democrats want to destroy jobs they don’t like, including thousands of jobs they don’t like. jobs they don’t like, including thousands of manufacturing jobs, and will turn over control of our energy future to other countries.”
“In the absence of the Paris Climate Agreement, the United States has been a world leader in reducing emissions. Over the past 50 years, the United States has significantly reduced levels of some of the most harmful pollutants, improving air quality for all Americans while helping more people earn better paychecks and improve their lives.”
He went on to write, “Rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement would have no impact on the climate and would harm the lives of people across America. I will continue to work with my colleagues to fight for blue-collar workers and defend America’s energy independence.”
Cruz also cited an analysis that said fulfilling the initial commitments of the Paris Climate Agreement would result in the loss of 400,000 manufacturing jobs in the United States and cost the American Family of four $20,000 over a period of nearly 20 years.
Former President Trump (R-Texas) said in 2017 that he wanted to withdraw from the agreement, but would not formally initiate the withdrawal process until three years after it took effect. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on Nov. 4, 2019, that the Trump Administration officially notified the United Nations that the withdrawal process had been initiated. Withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement takes one year, which means the U.S. officially withdraws from the agreement on Nov. 4, 2020.
Trump said the Paris Climate Agreement “was not designed to save the environment, it was designed to kill the American economy.” “In order to protect American workers, I am withdrawing the United States from the unfair and one-sided Paris Climate Agreement, which is a very unfair agreement to the United States.”
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