#What was Kerry doing on ‘taxpayer-funded world tour?’

A member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs is demanding the Biden administration shed some light on special envoy John Kerry’s meetings with his Chinese counterpart, the State Department staff of 45 he maintains and his “taxpayer funded world climate tour.”

In a letter sent to Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday, Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) questioned Kerry’s April meeting with China, arguing that the communist country has proven itself to be adversarial and took aim at President Biden’s green czar for his recent comments that China’s human rights abuses should not interfere with a climate deal. 

“I write to express my concern with Special Presidential Envoy for Climate (SPEC) John Kerry’s taxpayer funded world climate tour, and, especially, his latest meeting with China’s climate envoy, Xie Zhenhua,” Burchett wrote.

“The Chinese Communist Party is the United States’ foremost geopolitical rival, and the timing of this summit with its sole focus on climate signals to Beijing that this issue is the Biden Administration’s primary bilateral priority, as opposed to human rights or security issues. 

“Fortunately, you have stated that climate concessions will not be traded for other CCP geopolitical goals. Nonetheless, Sec. Kerry’s meeting and related jet-setting sends the wrong message and hands the CCP a public relations victory,” he wrote. 

Burchett also called for Blinken to provide answers on who Kerry’s 45 staffers are, what their duties are and how many are political appointees.

In addition, he wants to know why Kerry is allotted such a large office when the State Department already has an entire bureau devoted to Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs and another for Energy Resources and how much office space Kerry and his staff retain.

And he asked how much each individual trip taken by Kerry cost using taxpayer dollars and the emissions impact from his use of private jet for climate talk purposes. 

Burchett noted that China’s carbon emissions spiked despite its signing on to the Paris Climate Accord, adding that it “expects the U.S. to be held to a higher standard.”

GOP lawmakers have been highly skeptical of the Biden administration’s climate plan, which aims for net-zero emissions by midcentury, arguing it would needlessly hinder job growth and provide China, which is under little to no climate oversight, with an economic edge. 

“China’s carbon emissions have continued to rise year after year, and the country’s commitments under the Paris Climate Accord are meaningless, as the CCP is permitted to continue increasing emissions until 2030,” he wrote.

“In fact, the CCP recently authorized the construction of 36.9 GW of new coal-fired capacity, bringing its coal power under development to a whopping 247 GW. Additionally, the CCP’s Deputy Foreign Minister said recently that China should not be expected to risk its own economy by doing more to combat climate change.

“China expects the U.S. to be held to a higher standard when it comes to climate and carbon goals. Unlike China, however, the U.S. is leading when it comes to a responsible approach to the environment. In 2019, America’s carbon emissions were at their lowest level since 1992 and at their lowest level per capita since 1950. For this reason, I struggle to understand the importance of Sec. Kerry and Mr. Zhenhua’s meeting and the broader Biden climate agenda and resources being utilized to effectuate it.” 

“Sec. Kerry’s meeting lends China credibility on the world stage, while furthering the White House’s partisan climate agenda. Continuing to engage with China will only distract from other pressing issues for which the CCP must be held accountable. He concluded. 

“Instead of answering for belligerence toward Taiwan, the genocide of the Uyghurs, the crackdown on democracy in Hong Kong, and the coverup of the origin of Covid-19, the CCP will tout its newfound climate legitimacy, courtesy of the United States of America. Thank you for your consideration of my serious concerns and your response to my questions regarding Sec. Kerry’s role in the Biden Administration.”