Lafayette Reporter

Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana, along with other Republican senators, has called on President Joe Biden to oppose a United Nations agreement on global plastics pollution. The senators argue that the agreement would negatively impact manufacturing in Louisiana and across the United States.

"We write to express great concern that just as talks at the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) enter their final phase, the administration has changed the U.S. negotiating positions to address plastic pollution," stated the senators in their letter. They expressed disappointment that "the administration appears to have succumbed to pressure from extremist environmental activists" and now supports measures that could lead to banning certain chemicals and plastic products globally.

The letter emphasizes that during negotiations, the U.S. had positioned itself to broker an agreement aimed at ending plastic pollution while supporting American manufacturing through innovation and recycling technologies. However, they warn that a recent change in U.S. policy could jeopardize progress towards such a treaty.

The senators also highlighted potential domestic implications of the agreement, which they believe should be submitted for Senate advice and consent under Article II of the Constitution. They cautioned against any treaty provisions that could harm American manufacturing or increase costs for consumers.

"Any agreement that includes provisions harmful to American manufacturing and jobs, or that unnecessarily drives up the costs to American consumers of food, electronics, vehicles, and other critical products, will not receive Senate ratification," they wrote. They urged President Biden to focus on securing a treaty beneficial for both environmental goals and economic growth.

Other signatories of the letter include Senators Dan Sullivan, Shelley Moore Capito, Ted Cruz, Pete Ricketts, Todd Young, Kevin Cramer, Mike Crapo, Bill Cassidy, John Boozman, Ted Budd, Marsha Blackburn, Markwayne Mullin, John Cornyn, John Barrasso, Thom Tillis, Cynthia Lummis, Roger Wicker and Lindsey Graham.

The full text of their letter is available online.