By Khalid Pitts, Sierra Club National Political Director
1) Like Trump, Pence Denies the Science & Dangers of Climate Change
According to NASA, 97% of climate scientists agree on the science behind man-made climate change, and a new study just released demonstrates that so do 100% of the world’s heads of state. But if elected, Donald Trump would be the only national leader to ignore the climate crisis and call it a “hoax” invented by “the Chinese.” Echoing Trump, Pence falsely stated that “global warming is a myth” and that “the earth is actually cooler today than it was about 50 years ago.” More recently, he falsely claimed that “I don’t know if that is a resolved issue in science today” saying that “we will leave the scientific debates for the future.”
2) Pence has a Disastrous Lifetime Environmental Voting Record of Just 4%
During over a decade in Congress, Pence took every opportunity available to him to vote against protections and safeguards against pollution which keep our air clean to breathe and water safe to drink. In almost every single vote, he sided with Big Oil, King Coal and other major polluters instead of the American people and their health. As Trump made clear in his energy speech on the campaign trail, he would threaten air and water across America by eliminating the Environmental Protection Agency entirely.
3) Pence has Fought the Life-Saving Clean Power Plan with Every Means Possible
As Governor, Mike Pence has fought tooth and nail to stop the Clean Power Plan, the Environmental Protection Agency’s first national plan to clean up carbon pollution from dirty coal power plants. At first, Pence said that Indiana wouldn’t create a plan for his state, pleasing his coal company and utility donors. When that didn’t halt progress, Pence called for defunding EPA. Finally, Pence joined a lawsuit against the federal government over the plan. Mike Pence has made clear that he’s willing to put the interests of corporate polluters ahead of the health and safety of all Americans.
4) Pence Eliminated Common Sense, Republican-backed Energy Efficiency Goals in Indiana
Mike Pence made history as the Governor of Indiana. Under his leadership, Indiana became the very first state to eliminate its own energy efficiency program, Energizing Indiana, which had been put in place by the previous Republican governor. According to an independent report, the statewide program resulted in energy savings of about 11 million megawatt hours, significant cost savings and created almost 19,000 jobs. The program saved customers $3 for every dollar spent. Pence allowed state legislators to kill Energizing Indiana, then pushed forward a new law that gave electric utilities full control over energy efficiency goals and programs.
5) Pence wants to Build the Keystone XL Pipeline, meaning “Game Over” for the Climate
The toxic Keystone XL Pipeline is designed to move the dirtiest oil in the world from the Tar Sands in Canada down to the Gulf of Mexico. Despite the fact that the oil is totally unnecessary and would rampantly destroy huge swaths of pristine boreal forest and wilderness, Mike Pence is as committed to seeing it built as even Trump himself. Trump, of course, is famously invested in the pipeline company to the tune of a quarter million dollars.
6) With the Kochs and ALEC on his side, Pence has pushed a dangerous, discriminatory agenda in Indiana
Mike Pence is so close to the climate-denying, Koch-funded American Legislative Exchange Council that he’s keynoted their national conference and pushed their priorities in government. No wonder they have a profile of him on their website. For decades, the billionaire Koch Brothers have invested in ALEC to push their interests and lobbying agenda. Numerous corporate funders, including Google, have cut ties with ALEC as their extreme agenda has grown more dangerous. But, Pence’s problems don’t stop there - he also has opposed minimum wage increases, stood against efforts to ensure women have access to reproductive health services, and backed legislation that discriminates against the LGBT community.