Tipsheet

Blackburn and Daines Take Aim at Biden Administration's Action on Paris Climate Agreement

Republican Senators are taking aim at President Biden’s move to rejoin the disastrous Paris Climate Agreement once again, without congressional approval. The Obama administration entered the agreement unilaterally, without congressional authorization, and the new administration followed suit after former President Trump exited the treaty. 

GOP Sens. Marsha Blackburn (TN) and Steve Daines (MT) introduced two pieces of legislation to both prevent taxpayer dollars from financing the agreement and to compel Biden to receive congressional approval for reentering the deal. 

“Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no funds may be appropriated, obligated, or expended to take any action to provide for the United States to become a party to the Paris Agreement,” Blackburn’s legislation reads.

Senate Republicans point out that the “job-killing” agreement benefits China over the United States, on the backs of American taxpayers.

“President Biden violated the Constitution when he chose to rejoin the poorly negotiated and deeply flawed Paris Climate Agreement—a deal that’s horrible for America and good for China,” Daines said. “This deal will do nothing except cause more hard-working Americans to lose their jobs and burden American families with higher energy prices. We must ensure not a single penny of taxpayer dollars are used to implement this disastrous deal.”

Analysis finds that the agreement would cost the economy nearly 400,000 jobs, while depleting GDP by upwards of $2.5 trillion. The Paris Climate Agreement has been implemented by sidestepping congressional approval each time.