Republican Senators Endeavor to Stall Paris Climate Pact

Republican Senators Endeavor to Stall Paris Climate Pact

Republican senators have launched an initiative to stop the U.S. from joining the Paris Climate Agreement. The measure, championed by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), aims to thwart the imposition of any carbon tax without congressional approval. Garnering support from 40 co-sponsors, including Senate Majority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) and Senate GOP Conference Chair John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), the proposal holds enough clout to block Senate ratification of the Paris deal.

With hopes to stage a vote this week, Republicans aim to ensnare the Senate in climate debates. The Senate has already forwarded three bills to the House, including a reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank and a package addressing the Western U.S. drought crisis. The GOP also harbors hopes for a carbon neutrality bill designed to enhance nuclear and hydropower. “They will not be able to ratify the Paris agreement,” McConnell declared at a Tuesday press conference.

Dissension Among the Ranks

Despite the GOP’s focus on climate, key Biden nominees, such as his EPA lead choice Janet McCabe, have yet to face Senate action. Democrats claim this inactivity signals the Republicans’ lack of seriousness about addressing climate change. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) criticized the Republican majority for their inaction. “It’s time to act,” Schumer said. The GOP, however, asserts their efforts to pass climate measures signal progress since their January takeover of the chamber. “We are delivering results,” Barrasso stated at the press conference with McConnell.

Despite these claims, the GOP’s carbon neutrality bill, even if passed, faces uncertain prospects. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) branded the measure a “sham”, and Biden has threatened a veto. Democrats also fault the measure’s lack of specific emission reduction targets and argue that the bill fails to adequately address climate change without a carbon price. “The Republicans’ carbon neutrality bill is nothing but empty rhetoric,” House Natural Resources Chair Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) stated.

* None of the quotes in this article were spoken by an actual person. More info.