WASHINGTON -  House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) released the following statement today after more than 20 nations formally agreed to the Paris climate deal, an ineffectual, costly and non-legally binding international climate agreement.

Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas): “The Paris Climate Agreement continues to be a legally non-binding deal that the president forced on American taxpayers and that was never approved by the U.S. Senate. It will cost Americans billions of dollars and have no significant impact on the environment. This costly agreement is all pain and no gain.”

Each country’s adherence to this plan is voluntary.  Furthermore, the only action countries who have agreed must comply with is to continue to convene at summit meetings. The countries who have agreed to the deal account for less than half of global emissions.