Presidential hopeful Sen. Rand Paul introduced a Sense of the Senate resolution this week that would require Senate approval any climate change accord struck at the United Nations climate conference in Paris, coming up in December.
“One of the most important duties as a Senator is to uphold and defend the Constitution,” Paul said. “My resolution will reassert the Senate’s constitutional role in treaty review and protect the balance of power in our government.”
President Obama’s administration is hoping that if agreement is reached at the gathering of the world’s major climate negotiators, it will not be structured as a treaty, which requires approval of two-thirds of the U.S. Senate for ratification.