Rounds Statement on President’s Decision to Exit Paris Climate Agreement

WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today issued the following statement on President Trump’s decision to exit the Paris Climate Agreement:

“The Paris Climate Agreement placed costly new energy restrictions on the United States, which would be passed on to consumers in the form of higher electricity prices,” said Rounds. “President Trump understands that we cannot put the U.S. at a competitive disadvantage with the rest of the world, thereby shackling our economy and raising electricity costs without even meeting the agreement’s goal of having a tangible effect on climate change. 

"In fact, under this agreement, major polluters like China, Russia, India and Iran are allowed to increase their greenhouse gas emissions, while our emissions reductions are estimated to cost 6.5 million American jobs and $3 trillion in economic output by 2040. Good energy policies include an ‘all of the above’ approach that will strengthen our economy, create jobs and enhance our energy independence. I am pleased with the president’s decision today to leave the misguided Paris Climate Agreement.”  

Earlier this year, Rounds wrote a weekly column about the misguided Paris Climate Agreement and, along with a number of his Senate colleagues, sent a letter to the president encouraging U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement.

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