Brown: ‘Climate Change is One of the Defining Moral Issues of Our Time’
WASHINGTON, D.C. —U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) joined a group of 43 Senators this week to introduce legislation directing the Trump administration to meet the standards established by the historic Paris Climate Agreement and to mitigate the long-term damage caused by the Trump administration’s anti-environment actions.
Brown’s bill, the International Climate Accountability Act – would prevent the President from using funds to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord. Instead, the bill directs the Trump administration to develop a strategic plan for the country to meet its commitment under the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, which the United States joined with nearly 200 other nations. The bill also makes clear that the Paris Climate Agreement is critical to strengthening international cooperation to reduce global greenhouse emissions and hold high-emission nations accountable, and recognizes the important role the Agreement plays in protecting and advancing U.S. economic interests and foreign policy priorities around the globe.
“Climate change is one of the defining moral issues of our time,” said Brown. “It’s past time for the United States to live up to the standards we already agreed to in the Paris agreement, invest in clean energy jobs and manufacturing, and be the leader the world looks to.”
Brown has long led efforts to protect Ohio’s environment and keep our planet healthy for future generations. Last year, Brown helped secure several provisions in the 2018 Farm Bill to protect Lake Erie and Ohio waterways.
Brown has also long fought to secure full Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) funding. GLRI is a highly successful program that has jumpstarted restoration efforts to protect, maintain, and restore the chemical, biological, and physical integrity of the Great Lakes like Lake Erie. Brown and Senator Portman announced full funding of $300 million for the GLRI last year. In Fiscal Year 2018, the President proposed eliminating GLRI and Senators Brown and Portman worked together to ensure it was fully funded in the two most recent appropriations bill.
The International Climate Accountability Act was introduced by Sens. Shaheen, Menendez and Carper is also cosponsored by Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tina Smith (D-MN), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jack Reed (D-RI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Chris Coons (D-DE), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Tom Udall (D-NM), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Angus King (I-ME), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bob Casey (D-PA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jon Tester (D-MT), Doug Jones (D-AL), and Maria Cantwell (D-WA).
Text of the legislation can be found here.