To express the sense of the Senate regarding the conditions for the President entering into bilateral or other international agreements regarding greenhouse gas emissions without proper study of any adverse economic effects, including job losses and harm to the industrial sector, and without the approval of the Senate.

SA 78. Mr. BLUNT (for himself and Mr. Inhofe) submitted an amendment
intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 1, to approve the
Keystone XL Pipeline; which was ordered to lie on the table; as
follows:

At the appropriate place, insert the following:

SEC. __. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING BILATERAL OR OTHER
INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS REGARDING GREENHOUSE
GAS EMISSIONS.

(a) Findings.--The Senate makes the following findings:
(1) On November 11, 2014, President Barack Obama and
President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China
announced the ``U.S.-China Joint Announcement on Climate
Change and Clean Energy Cooperation'' (in this section
referred to as the ``Agreement'') reflecting ``the principle
of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective
capabilities, in light of different national circumstances''.
(2) The Agreement stated the United States intention to
reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by one-quarter by 2025
while allowing the People's Republic of China to double its
greenhouse gas emissions between now and 2030.
(3) While coal fired electricity remains the least
expensive energy alternative, the reduction of coal use
because of the Agreement would result in a 25 percent
increase in electricity prices in the United States in 2025,
according to analysis conducted by the Energy Information
Administration.
(4) The people of China will not see similar electricity
price increases as they continue to use low cost coal without
limit for the foreseeable future, at least until 2030.
(5) Increases in the price of electricity can cause job
losses in the United States industrial sector, which includes
manufacturing, agriculture, and construction.
(6) The price of electricity is a top consideration for job
creators when locating manufacturing facilities, especially
in energy-intensive manufacturing such as steel and aluminum
production.
(7) Requiring mandatory cuts in greenhouse gas emissions in
the United States while allowing nations such as China and
India to increase their greenhouse gas emissions results in
jobs moving from the United States to other countries,
especially to China and India, and is economically unfair.
(8) Imposing disparate greenhouse gas emissions commitments
for the United States and countries such as China and India
is environmentally irresponsible because it results in
greater emissions as businesses move to countries with less
stringent standards.
(9) Union members, families, consumers, communities, and
local institutions like schools, hospitals, and churches are
hurt by the resulting job losses.
(10) The poor, the elderly, and those on fixed incomes are
hurt the most by the President's promised increased
electricity rates.
(b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate
that--

[[Page S354]]

(1) the Agreement negotiated between the President and the
President of the People's Republic of China has no force and
effect in the United States;
(2) the Agreement between the President and the President
of the People's Republic of China is a bad deal for United
States consumers, workers, families, and communities, and is
economically unfair and environmentally irresponsible;
(3) the Agreement, as well as any other bilateral or
international agreement regarding greenhouse gas emissions
such as the United Nation's Framework Convention on Climate
Change in Paris in December 2015, requires the advice and
consent of the Senate and must be accompanied by a detailed
explanation of any legislation or regulatory actions that may
be required to implement the Agreement and an analysis of the
detailed financial costs and other impacts on the economy of
the United States which would be incurred by the
implementation of the Agreement;
(4) the United States should not be a signatory to any
bilateral or other international agreement on greenhouse
gases if it would result in serious harm to the economy of
the United States; and
(5) the United States should not agree to any bilateral or
other international agreement imposing disparate greenhouse
gas commitments for the United States and other countries.
______