U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), together with Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-WY) and several Republican colleagues, has introduced the No Climate Treaties Act. This proposed legislation would require that any move by the United States to join or rejoin international climate agreements be subject to approval by the U.S. Senate.
“Louisiana families deserve a say in deals that affect their wallets,” said Dr. Cassidy. “We’re making sure nobody can sign America up for a bad deal without our input.”
Senator Barrasso criticized previous Democratic administrations for entering into international climate treaties without securing Senate approval, stating, “Democrat administrations have a history of ignoring the will of the American people and bypassing Senate approval to unilaterally join costly international climate treaties. Climate treaties, like the Paris climate agreement, often set unworkable targets designed to put America at a competitive disadvantage with other countries. They also cost American taxpayers billions of dollars and raise energy prices for working families. The No Climate Treaties Act makes it clear that the United States will no longer join any international climate treaty without Senate approval. This will ensure the American people have the final say on where their tax dollars go.”
The bill was introduced during the same week that marked the official withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement. If enacted, it would require all future international climate agreements—including rejoining the Paris Agreement—to be treated as treaties under Article II of the U.S. Constitution, necessitating a two-thirds majority vote in the Senate for ratification. Additionally, it would prohibit federal funds from being used to implement or comply with any such agreement unless this requirement is met.
Senators joining Cassidy and Barrasso in introducing this legislation include Roger Marshall (R-KS), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Mike Lee (R-UT), Rick Scott (R-FL), Ashley Moody (R-FL), John Hoeven (R-ND), John Kennedy (R-LA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), James Risch (R-ID), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), John Boozman (R-AR), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Rand Paul (R-KY).
