For Immediate Release
June 1, 2017
Van Hollen Statement on Trump Withdrawal from Paris Climate Agreement
Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement on President Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement:
“President Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement threatens U.S. jobs, economic competitiveness, and the health of our planet. By rejecting the scientific consensus that has brought nearly 200 nations together to address the immediate threat of climate change, President Trump is ceding America’s leadership in building a 21st century clean energy economy – and the jobs that go with it – to countries like China.
“President Trump is also abdicating responsibility to protect communities in Maryland and across the country from the costly threats of drought, wildfire, storms, and sea level rise. Coming on the heels of an overseas trip in which our allies questioned America’s reliability, this decision further isolates the United States on the world stage and undermines American strength. On President Trump’s recent trip to Rome, the Pope gifted him a copy of his encyclical on the moral imperative to act on climate change – the President should have read it before making this ignorant and destructive decision that will affect generations to come.”
