Sanders defends vote against USMCA: ‘Not a single damn mention’ of climate change

by Rachel Frazin - 01/17/20 12:05 PM ET

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) released a video on Friday explaining his vote Thursday against the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement trade deal (USMCA), saying that it included “not a single damn mention” of climate change.

“There is not one reference to the words climate change,” Sanders said in the video posted to Twitter. “Here you have a major trade agreement which in fact will make it easier for the large oil companies to destroy our planet.”

He also repeated his concerns that it could result in U.S. jobs being outsourced to “low-wage” countries.

250 pages.

37,500 words.

Not a single damn mention of “climate change.”

Trump’s NAFTA is a giveaway to the fossil fuel industry.

I voted NO because the future of our planet is more important than the short-term profits of Exxon Mobil and Chevron. pic.twitter.com/YgSZcigjjX

— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) January 17, 2020

Sanders, who was one of only 10 senators to oppose the deal that overwhelmingly passed the Senate on Thursday, had previously expressed concerns about it, including during Tuesday night’s presidential debate.

“Every major environmental organization has said no to this new trade agreement because it does not even have the phrase ‘climate change’ in it,” he said. “And given the fact that climate change is right now the greatest threat facing this planet, I will not vote for a trade agreement that does not incorporate very, very strong principles to significantly lower fossil fuel emissions in the world.”

Sanders split on the issue with fellow progressive candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who expressed support for the deal during the debate, saying that “it will give some relief to our farmers.”

The Democratic senators who joined Sanders in opposing the agreement on Thursday included Minority Leader Charles Schumer (N.Y.), Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), Kamala Harris (Calif.), Ed Markey (Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (R.I.), Jack Reed (R.I), Brian Schatz (Hawaii). Also voting “no” was GOP Sen. Pat Toomey (Pa.).