Washington – The Democratic-controlled House approved a bill Thursday that would prevent President Donald Trump from fulfilling his pledge to withdraw the United States from…
Washington – The Democratic-controlled House approved a bill Thursday that would prevent President Donald Trump from fulfilling his pledge to withdraw the United States from the landmark Paris climate agreement and ensure the U. S. honors its commitments under the global accord.
The bill falls far short of the ambitious Green New Deal pushed by many Democrats, but it is the first significant climate legislation approved by the House in nearly a decade. The measure was approved, 231-190, and now goes to the Republican-run Senate, where it is unlikely to move forward. Trump has said he will veto the legislation if it reaches his desk.
Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla., head of a House select committee on climate change, said passage of the bill sent an important signal that Democrats are prepared to act on global warming after reclaiming the House majority in last year’s elections.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called the House bill a “futile gesture to handcuff the U. S. economy through the ill-fated Paris deal” and said it “will go nowhere here in the Senate.”
Trump pledged in 2017 to withdraw from the Paris agreement as soon as 2020, dealing a major blow to worldwide efforts to combat global warming and distancing the U. S. from its closest allies. Trump said he was “elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris.”
The White House said in a statement this week that the House bill “is inconsistent with the president’s commitment to put American workers and families first, promote access to affordable, reliable energy sources and technologies and improve the quality of life for all Americans.
