Political Quotes

“I am in opposition to implementing the Kyoto Protocol. Under the Kyoto Protocol, by 2008 to 2012 the U.S. would be required to slash emissions of greenhouse gases to seven percent below the 1990 level--a level last achieved in 1979. Based on projections of the future growth in U.S. energy use, this would require a real cut in emissions of over 30 percent. In the meantime, major greenhouse-gas emitters, such as China, India, Mexico, and Brazil, would be able to continue business as usual. In July 1997, before the Kyoto Protocol was signed, the Senate passed on a vote of 95 to 0 the Byrd-Hagel resolution, which states that the U.S. should not sign any treaty that (1) would mandate cuts in emissions only for developed countries and (2) would result in serious economic harm. This commonsense resolution set the absolute minimum criteria for Senate ratification of any climate treaty. The Clinton Administration never submitted the Kyoto Protocol to the Senate for ratification because it knew that it would be dead on arrival. In a breath of fresh air, President Bush said succinctly, ``I will not accept a plan that will harm our economy and hurt American workers.'' In stating the obvious and pulling the plug on this flawed treaty, the President has spared us from a U.N. boondoggle that would harm American workers, consumers, and businesses.”