Press Releases
DelBene Climate Legislation Endorsed by New Democrat Coalition
Washington, D.C.,
March 12, 2020
Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene’s (WA-01) Resolution on the Environmental Goods Agreement (H.Res. 828) was endorsed by the New Democrat Coalition (NDC). The NDC is the largest Democratic ideological caucus with over one hundred members, which makes up more than forty percent of the Democratic Caucus. The Environmental Goods Agreement (EGA) negotiations were first initiated in 2014 by 14 World Trade Organization (WTO) members, including the United States, with the goal of removing tariffs on environmental goods like wind turbines, water treatment filters, solar water heaters, and bicycles. However, despite 18 rounds of negotiations, an agreement has not been reached and there have not been any new negotiations since 2016. While several countries have expressed their support for continuing work on the EGA, the Trump administration has not put forth any public positions on the agreement. “This commonsense resolution works in the best interests of Americans and the environment,” said DelBene. “By eliminating burdensome tariffs on goods that benefit our environment, we can support U.S. workers while also addressing climate change. I thank the New Democrat Coalition for their endorsement and look forward to working with my colleagues to advance this legislation in the House.” “New Democrat Coalition Members have been leading the way in combatting the climate crisis. Rep. DelBene’s bill, endorsed by the NDC, furthers the Coalition’s ambitious climate agenda in Congress,” said NDC Chair Derek Kilmer (WA-06). “The NDC looks forward to helping advance innovative and politically durable legislation to address climate change with the urgency the crisis demands.” The resolution directs the administration to resume and conclude negotiations on the EGA. With tariffs on environmental goods as high as 50 percent, the EGA encourages the use of green products and help countries transition to a low-emissions economy. Since the U.S. is a leader in the development of these goods, eliminating these tariffs also helps level the playing field for American manufacturers and support the growth of green jobs, benefiting the U.S. economy. DelBene’s legislation builds on the NDC’s Priorities for U.S. Climate Policy released earlier this Congress and works to advance key components of the NDC’s 20 for 2020 Policy Agenda. Read the full text of the bill here. |