Boise City Wire

U.S. Senator Jim Risch, alongside 18 other senators, has urged President Biden to reconsider his administration's stance on international constraints related to manufacturing and the development of chemicals and plastic products. The senators expressed their concerns in a letter sent to the President, highlighting potential implications for American industry.

The letter criticizes the administration for allegedly yielding to pressure from environmental activists. "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," stated the senators.

They emphasized that during negotiations, the U.S. had positioned itself as a leader in brokering an agreement aimed at reducing plastic pollution while supporting domestic manufacturing through innovation and recycling technologies. "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," they continued.

The group warned against any treaty provisions that might harm American jobs or increase consumer costs without gaining necessary Senate support. "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," they concluded.

As negotiations at the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee approach their final phase, these senators urge for a focus on creating a treaty aligned with U.S. interests that can gain broad support domestically while holding other nations accountable for addressing plastic pollution.