November 05, 2019

Chair DeFazio's Statement on President Trump's Paris Climate Agreement Withdrawal Announcement

“Instead of rising to the greatest challenge of our time, once again President Trump is choosing to pander to a backward-looking minority of special interests who either refuse to accept the seriousness of climate change, or who are far too interested in their own profit-making to change course. This administration’s ability to twist the facts to suit its anti-environment, pro-fossil fuel agenda is shameful and embarrassing for a nation that has long prided itself on innovation and courage.

“The fact is, transportation is the largest source of carbon pollution in the U.S. and the cost of inaction is too great. That’s why the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is forging ahead with legislation that is both pragmatic and transformative, and will put U.S. transportation on the ambitious path to de-fossilization. Despite the Trump Administration’s short-sighted move to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord, we plan to rise to the challenge to move our transportation systems into the 21st century by reducing carbon emissions, promoting transit, increasing resilient infrastructure, and much more.”