Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) promoted his America First trade and climate policy with Lt. General H.R. McMaster in a fireside chat today with the Bipartisan Policy Center. The discussion focused on the senator and Lt. General McMaster’s joint op-ed linking climate, trade, and geopolitics. Excerpts and the full video is below.
On Trade and Climate Policy:
“I’ve always believed that energy security is national security. Its economic security as well as fundamental national security. Vladimir Putin has much of Europe captive to his sole supply. That’s a lever. I’ve often said I’d rather use the peaceful tools of energy development than the weapons of war. A transatlantic partnership has the advantage of neutralizing Russia’s influence. Adding in American and other sources of energy into an alliance, into a trade pact of some sort, has the advantage of bringing down prices because of competition, choices, and alternatives. But the other thing is this and it’s really important: many places, including the Middle East and the United States, produce the same products, but we do it in a cleaner fashion.”
“If we’re going to view global climate change through a global lens – and we ought to – then we ought to also view the solutions through a global lens.”
On U.S. Leadership Potential:
“Not only do we have nothing to fear from a global geopolitical solution, we have everything to gain from it. It strengthens alliances with our already natural allies, particularly our European allies. It meets their objectives of lowering emissions and finding solutions. I think it increases our influence in the world and lots of other things as well. When you’re at the table, preferably at the head of the table that everybody else is sitting around, you have a global opportunity. This is an opportunity to lead from a position of strength, rather than ignoring it or worse yet to shrink from it.”
“I prefer to lead from the head of the table rather than the back of the room.”
On Carbon Pricing:
“I think a geopolitical alliance like this should not require a carbon price. I don’t talk about a carbon price. In fact, I run from it as soon as somebody brings it up. I believe that increments are the way you get things done. An America First approach to trade and climate is one increment that I think in and of itself will make a big difference.”
On Legislation and A Path Forward:
“This policy provides a landing pad for the first step or at least the next step toward perhaps bigger things. We have to keep the conversation going. We have to be deliberate about it but also opportunistic.”
“I don’t care if you call it a climate plan. I don’t care what you call it. I call it an America First Energy opportunity. We ought to look at a plan that includes this, which can translate into some legislation. There are areas where we agree. I’d rather have an incremental success story than an aspirational goal we never get started on. I think this is a moment here to have some bipartisan discussions with serious thinkers about a solution as opposed to a fuel source. Let’s focus on an emissions goal. Let’s look at solutions, get together with obviously a little compromise, but I think there’s a lot more common ground than people might think. I think this is the lowest hanging fruit frankly.”
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