Tuberville, Britt and 10 colleagues demand answers about Biden's proposed ESG rule for federal contractors

On Monday, U.S. Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama), Katie Britt (R-Alabama) and ten Senate colleagues sent a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, General Services Administrator Robin Carnahan, and NASA Administrator Bill Nelson demanding answers regarding an Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) regulation that they are concerned would negatively impact government contractors.

Under the proposed ESG rule, federal contractors will be forced to publicly disclose their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate-related financials, or they will not be able to receive federal contracts. The conservative Senators say that this is just another example of the Biden administration prioritizing climate activists and environmental justice warriors instead of our national defense.

"The Federal Supplier Climate Risks and Resilience Rule ("Contractor Climate Rule") would be a disaster, severely distracting your agencies from critical tasks of securing our nation from foreign adversaries and of exploring our universe," the Senators wrote. "Simply put, this Administration should not use procurement policy in order to meet its radical environmental justice goals. Under the proposed rule, certain federal contractors and suppliers will be forced to publicly disclose their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate-related financial risks and set science-based emissions reduction targets."

"It has come to our attention that your agencies are contemplating finalizing an environmental social governance ("ESG") regulation1 that would impact all contractors for the U.S. Department of Defense ("DOD"), National Aeronautics and Space Administration ("NASA"), and the General Services Administration ("GSA"). The Federal Supplier Climate Risks and Resilience Rule ("Contractor Climate Rule") would be a disaster, severely distracting your agencies from critical tasks of securing our nation from foreign adversaries and of exploring our universe," the Sens. wrote. "Simply put, this Administration should not use procurement policy in order to meet its radical environmental justice goals."

Sens. Tuberville and Britt were joined by Senators Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri), John Thune (R-South Dakota), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Rick Scott (R-Florida), and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee).

To read the letter:

https://www.tuberville.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/Senator-Schmitt-Contractor-Rule-Letter-to-GSA-NASA-and-DOD.pdf