Cindy Carr, (202) 495-3034 or cindy.carr@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved Mike Pompeo’s nomination for Secretary of State. In an unprecedented move, Committee Chairman Bob Corker previously said that he would move Pompeo to the Senate Floor for a confirmation vote, regardless of the committee vote outcome.
Pompeo has been referred to as the “Koch Brothers Congressman” and “the Congressman from Koch,” as he has done their bidding, including once introducing legislation to block the EPA from safeguarding communities from chemical plants. Pompeo has accused President Obama of being “disloyal” to Christians and America, and, like Trump, has embraced anti-Muslim rhetoric. If confirmed, Pompeo would be the only climate-denying Secretary of State.
The full Senate is expected to vote on Pompeo’s confirmation later this week.
In response, Sierra Club Global Climate Policy Director John Coequyt released the following statement:
"Mike Pompeo’s racist remarks about the Muslim community disqualify him for this position. Mike Pompeo’s reprehensible stance on LGBTQ rights disqualify him from this position. And Mike Pompeo’s refusal to accept known science disqualify him from this position. Mike Pompeo is unqualified to serve as the nation’s top diplomat, and the full Senate must do what the Senate Foreign Relations Committee should have and reject his nomination.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.