Barrasso Introduces the No Climate Treaties Act

U.S. Wyoming Senator John Barrasso on Monday led 23 Republican senators in introducing the No Climate Treaties Act, legislation aimed at requiring Senate approval before the United States can join or rejoin any international climate agreement, including the Paris Climate Accord. The bill comes the same week the U.S. officially withdrew from the Paris Agreement.

The proposed legislation would treat any future climate agreement as a treaty under Article II of the Constitution, requiring a two-thirds vote in the Senate. It also would restrict the use of federal funds to implement or comply with any international climate agreement that does not receive Senate approval.

“Democrat administrations have a history of ignoring the will of the American people and bypassing Senate approval to unilaterally join costly international climate treaties,” Barrasso said in a statement. “Climate treaties, like the Paris climate agreement, often set unworkable targets designed to put America at a competitive disadvantage with other countries. They also cost American taxpayers billions of dollars and raise energy prices for working families. The No Climate Treaties Act makes it clear that the United States will no longer join any international climate treaty without Senate approval. This will ensure the American people have the final say on where their tax dollars go.”

The bill is cosponsored by senators from across the country, including Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Wyoming’s own Cynthia Lummis.

What the bill would mean:

Supporters argue that the legislation would restore congressional oversight over international agreements that have broad economic and energy implications. Republican senators have consistently criticized climate agreements like Paris for imposing emission targets they say could increase energy costs and put U.S. industries at a disadvantage globally.

Opponents are likely to argue that the legislation could limit U.S. engagement on climate change and hamper the country’s ability to participate in global efforts to address environmental challenges. The Paris Agreement, for example, has been supported by Democrats and many international partners as a framework to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat global warming.

For Wyoming, a state with an economy closely tied to energy production—including coal, natural gas, and wind—Barrasso framed the bill as a defense of local industries and taxpayers. “We need policies that work for American families and energy workers, not ones that put us at a disadvantage,” he said.

The bill’s introduction sets the stage for another partisan debate in the Senate over climate policy and the role of Congress versus the executive branch in international agreements. While the legislation has strong Republican support, its passage would be unlikely in a Senate controlled by Democrats, making it more of a signal of party priorities than an immediate change in U.S. policy.