Alert

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.), Jim Inhofe (Okla.), and Joe Manchin (W. Va.) introduced a bipartisan resolution that requires the Obama administration to submit any agreement reached at the Paris climate summit to the Senate for its advice and consent. The legislation also says that no taxpayer dollars should go toward a billion dollar fund for other countries to deal with climate change without the advice and consent of the Senate.

“President Obama has shown a total disregard for the limits of his authority and the interests of the American people when it comes to pushing his politically-driven climate agenda,” Blunt said. “There is no ‘pen and phone’ clause in the Constitution, but there is an advice and consent provision, and we intend to use it to stop the president from enacting a bad deal that will hurt American workers, families, consumers, and communities.”   

“The international community needs to be aware that the U.S. Congress and the American people do not support President Obama’s international climate agenda,” Inhofe said. “Expert testimony from the most recent Senate EPW oversight hearing has made it clear that nonbinding, political commitments along the lines of what Secretary Kerry recently announced would come from the international climate negotiations, are legally akin to ‘giving a speech, or stating at a news conference, that he will make reductions in emissions.’ Should the negotiations produce a more substantive outcome as European delegates announced, then there is no way around the Senate. I would urge caution in considering any diplomatic promises that may suggest otherwise as the president is once again attempting to make international promises he cannot deliver.” 

“The U.S. Senate must be able to exercise its constitutional role to approve any agreement that emerges from the Paris climate talks,” Manchin said.  “The energy-producing states in our country, especially West Virginia, and American consumers will be significantly affected by any deal made by this President. This Administration should not be able to unilaterally put American businesses at a disadvantage in the global economy by enacting unattainable and unproven mandates. The Senate must approve those agreements before they are enforced upon our people.”