STATEMENT ON PRESIDENT TRUMP’S DECISION TO WITHDRAW
FROM THE PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT
President Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement is yet another example of the reckless, uninformed, and
chaotic leadership that Republicans in Congress continue to enable. This wholesale rejection of a scientifically proven reality endangers
our environment, our health, and our security. Facts should not be negotiable nor should protecting the air that we breath and
the water that we drink.
America should be leading the way on clean energy like solar power and wind power, which create jobs and protect our land, air, and
water. The Paris Agreement is supported by majorities in both the Democratic and Republican parties as well as by the overwhelming
majority of the business community.
In New Jersey, we know firsthand the disastrous effects of allowing polluters to poison our air and water. Currently, many towns in
the 7th Congressional District are being impacted by pollution from a coal-fired power plant in Pennsylvania. According to a recent
study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania and Lehigh University, women in these communities have had a greater risk of
having babies with a low or very low birth weight — less than 5½ pounds. Additionally, nearly 800,000 children and adults in New
Jersey suffer from asthma, which is driven in large part by air pollution. If we do not work to reduce emissions, these problems will
only get worse.
This is why Rep. Leonard Lance’s voting record on the environment is so disappointing. He has a dismal 21% score from the League of
Conservation Voters. We cannot continue to sacrifice leadership and responsibility on the altar of political expediency and partisanship.
Our nation has a moral obligation to protect our planet, to take responsibility for our actions, and to stand by the commitments that
we make. President Trump’s short-sighted decision will harm American citizens and future generations, stifle needed innovation, and
further damage our standing in the world.
FACTS. PRINCIPLES. SOLUTIONS.
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