Crapo, Risch, Colleagues Ask Biden Admin to Reverse Course on Potentially Constraining U.S. Manufacturing, Development of Chemicals and Plastic Products

Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) joined Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Republican colleagues in sending a letter to President Joe Biden asking his administration to reverse course on supporting constraints on manufacturing and the development of target lists that identify chemicals and plastic products to be banned around the world in a potential plastics treaty.

“It is unfortunate the administration appears to have succumbed to pressure from extremist environmental activists and now supports constraints on manufacturing and the development of target lists that identify chemicals and plastic products to be banned around the world in the potential treaty,” wrote the Senators.

“Throughout the negotiating process, the United States positioned itself to broker an agreement that not only seizes upon a historic opportunity to end plastic pollution in the environment, but one that also bolsters American manufacturing by supporting innovative new product designs and recycling technologies,” the Senators continued.  “This last-minute change in U.S. policy could sabotage years of positive collaboration and progress in brokering a treaty that ends plastic pollution, unlocks innovation, and, importantly, that could be ratified by the U.S. Senate.”

“The world will need U.S. leadership in ending plastic pollution. A treaty that fails to gain the support of two thirds of the Senate will embolden countries like China who leak significant amounts of plastic waste into the environment,” the Senators concluded.  “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.”

Crapo and Risch are joined by Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Todd Young (R-Indiana), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), John Boozman (R-Arkansas), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), John Cornyn (R-Texas), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi) and Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) in sending the letter. 

Full text of the letter can be found here