Rep. Delaney: Pulling Out of Paris Accord Betrayal of Our Future, Abdication of American Leadership

WASHINGTON, June 1 -- Rep. John Delaney, D-Md., issued the following news release:

Congressman John K. Delaney (MD-6) releases the following statement:

"This is an astoundingly bad decision that delivers no appreciable benefit to the United States, while incurring massive costs. President Trump is abdicating American leadership on a crucial global issue and empowering our global competitors to shape future agreements without any American influence. Worse still, this is an expression of an economically-illiterate and science-denying ideology that goes against the best interests of the American people. There is little evidence that the President has the understanding of the facts at hand or the competence to negotiate a better deal, despite his rhetoric. President Trump found a policy so unwise that it could be opposed by scientists, business leaders, Republicans, Democrats and nearly every country in the entire world. President Trump appears to have no faith in the ability of our private sector to innovate.

"This is a betrayal of our future. Left unchecked, climate change has the potential to devastate our economy, to create massive public health and agricultural problems including the spread of disease and to increase global instability, which is why climate change is considered a threat-multiplier by our military. Given that the White House has shown zero forward-thinking, it is now more important than ever that Congress and the states implement smart policy responses. I am proud to be the author of legislation that uses market forces to reduce emissions via a carbon tax, with the revenues raised used to help working families and businesses, while creating a huge new benefit program for impacted coal workers."

Congressman Delaney's Tax Pollution, Not Profits Act, establishes a tax on carbon pollution and uses the revenues raised to 1) provide monthly payments to low-income and middle-class households 2) reduce the corporate tax rate to increase employment and reduce consumer costs and 3) fund job training, early retirement and health care benefits to coal workers.

Congressman Delaney is also the author of the bipartisan Climate Solutions Commission Act, a bill which creates a bipartisan National Climate Solutions Commission to undertake a thorough review of economically viable public and private actions or policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The National Climate Solutions Commission is required to give the White House, Congress and the states their recommendations within eighteen months.