Sanders First 2020 Democrat to Pledge, If Elected, All Top Appointees Will Back Fracking Ban and
Bold Climate Action
Sen. Bernie Sanders on Thursday affirmed that if he wins the presidency, his administration will only include officials who share his opposition to all fracking and fossil fuel development.
The Vermont Independent, who is a Democratic candidate in the 2020 election, was the first candidate to sign a pledge put forward Wednesday by Food & Water Action, the political action arm of the public health advocacy group Food & Water Watch.
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"As president," the pledge reads, "I pledge to only appoint individuals to environmental, energy, foreign policy, and national security positions in my administration that affirm the extent of the climate emergency we face, and support: banning fracking everywhere; halting all new fossil fuel infrastructure development; and banning fossil fuel exports."
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On Thursday, the group emphasized the need for a president who will ensure the federal government is led by officials who are committed to transitioning to a renewable energy economy in order to avoid the worst effects of the climate crisis. "As we know so well from the Trump administration and many before it, much of the policy issued by the White House is formulated and implemented by cabinet members, agency heads and key staffmany of whom have their own beliefs, agendas and motivations," Food & Water Watch executive director Wenonah Hauter said in a statement.
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https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/09/12/sanders-first-2020-democrat-pledge-if-elected-all-top-appointees-will-back-fracking