Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Pallone Raises Concerns over Trump Positions on Climate Change





Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) went to the House Floor to express concerns over President-elect Trump’s positions on climate change.

Mr. Speaker, according to his transition team, the President-elect’s Administration will withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement and “scrap” the Clean Power Plan because, they claim, it will increase energy bills “without any measurable effect on Earth’s climate.”

This is dangerous, short sighted, and completely inaccurate. The United States took an important leadership role in making the Paris agreement happen and should continue to lead international efforts to combat climate change. The Clean Power Plan is an essential part of the U.S. keeping its end of the bargain.

If the President-elect’s Administration follows through on its plans to abandon our commitments, the United States and the world will continue to suffer from increasing sea level rise, more frequent and intense natural disasters like Superstorm Sandy, and longer periods of drought, as well as other effects. What it won’t do is save coal country jobs –something that the top Senate Republican pretty much admitted last week.

As President Obama said, the President-elect’s Administration should carry on the “tradition” of honoring our international agreements, and I urge him and his team to continue the efforts begun by President Obama to stop climate change before it is too late.

Thank you.

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