Shaheen Statement on Biden Executive Order to Rejoin Paris Climate Agreement

As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Shaheen traveled to Paris to participate in high-level discussions at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference that led to the international Paris Climate Accord.

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) issued the following statement in response to President Joe Biden signing an Executive Order to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement:

“For the last four years, Donald Trump ceded U.S. global leadership on combating climate change, which is the greatest existential threat of our generation. Today, President Biden ended that period of concession and sent an unmistakable message that the United States is back as a leader, ally and responsible actor,” said Shaheen. “Rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement is a critical step to put the U.S. back on track to regain our role on the international stage and to restore our reputation among our allies as a country that keeps its word and is committed to global security and stability. Confronting the threats of climate change is a responsibility shared by all nations, not just one, and the U.S. must help lead response efforts. In the weeks and months ahead, I look forward to working across the aisle in Congress and beside the Biden administration to further legislative action that bolsters the Executive Order signed today so we can address the environmental, economic, health and national security threats posed by climate change. I’m proud to be a founding member of the Senate Climate Solutions Caucus, which demonstrates the bipartisan commitment in Congress to act on climate. We have a lot of ground to make up for the regressions made by the Trump administration — I urge leaders in Congress to move expeditiously so we can get to work.” 

Senator Shaheen is a leader in the Senate for safeguarding our environment and combating the effects of climate change. As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Shaheen traveled to Paris to participate in high-level discussions at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference that led to the international Paris Climate Accord. She introduced the International Climate Accountability Act – legislation to prevent President Trump from using funds to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord and direct the Trump administration to develop a strategic plan for the U.S. to meet its commitment under the Agreement. Shaheen also introduced widely praised bipartisan legislation with Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) to save American homes and businesses billions of dollars in energy costs and dramatically reduce the United States’ carbon footprint. Shaheen is a founding member of the bipartisan Senate Climate Solutions Caucus, which brings together an equal number of Republicans and Democrats to craft and advance bipartisan solutions to address climate change.