A Bad Deal

This past week, President Obama announced that the he reached an agreement with China to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Unfortunately, the agreement is essentially an empty promise that does not bind China, the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, to uphold its end of the deal.

China has pledged to cap its rising carbon emissions by 2030, and set a lofty and seemingly unrealistic goal of growing non-fossil fuels to 20 percent of the country’s domestic energy supply by 2030. According to the most recent data, China relies on fossil fuels for approximately 92 percent of its total energy consumption. President Obama stated that the United States will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 26 to 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025. Previously, his target was 17 percent by 2020. While it appears that China will not be held accountable or required to act for years, Ohioans and Americans across the country will face the consequences of President Obama’s plan, which will lead to job losses and a weakened economic recovery.

Ohio has already experienced the negative effects of President Obama’s attacks on affordable energy. Burdensome regulations handed down by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have led to the closure of coal-fired plants in and around Ohio’s 16th district. The administration’s recent actions will only lead to the closure of more plants, the loss of more jobs, and higher energy costs for hardworking Ohioans who are struggling to make ends meet. In fact, in 2009, President Obama said that under his energy plan, “electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket.” As we enter the winter months, higher energy costs are the last thing Ohioans need at a time when too many are unemployed or underemployed.

Though the White House has acknowledged that the United States has reduced its total greenhouse gas emissions more than any other nation since 2005, it continues to charge forward with new regulations. That is why we in the House of Representatives have remained committed to reducing the squeeze on hardworking families by promoting an all-of-the-above energy policy that will bring down the cost of energy, strengthen our energy security, and ultimately lead to our energy independence. Additionally, we have passed several bills that will rein in the EPA’s overreach to preserve jobs and protect our domestic energy supply. This includes the Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act, a bill that will require Congress to approve any major regulation that that will have more than a $100 million impact on the economy. Furthermore, this week we will vote on legislation that would prohibit the EPA from finalizing a regulation unless the data used is made public and bring much-needed transparency to the EPA permitting process.

As a father of three, I understand the importance of preserving the environment for the next generation. However, President Obama’s recent unilateral action is ingrained in politics, not policy, as evidenced by the vague terms of the deal, which lacks enforcement altogether. We need to work together to come up with real solutions that will protect our environment and the jobs Ohioans and Americans everywhere rely on.

If you have any questions or if our office can be of assistance to you, please don't hesitate to call us at our Wadsworth office: (330) 334-0040, Parma office: (440) 882-6779, or Washington office: (202) 225-3876. I also encourage you to visit our website at renacci.house.gov and subscribe to our Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages to get the latest updates on my work in Washington and Ohio's 16th District.