Washington (July 26, 2019) – Yesterday, Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) voted in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee against advancing the nomination of Ambassador to Canada Kelly Craft for U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. During Craft’s nomination hearing, Senator Markey secured a commitment from Craft to recuse herself from matters involving “coal and or fossil fuels.” Senators Markey, Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) had written to Craft regarding her views on international climate policy and her potential conflicts of interest. Ambassador Craft’s financial disclosures show she has more than $63 million invested in oil, gas, and coal assets, as well as substantial rights to coal mining royalties. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee nevertheless voted to move her nomination forward to the full Senate.

“Like Ambassador Craft’s statements on climate change, her answers to my questions have been inadequate, incomplete, and late,” said Senator Markey following yesterday’s vote. “She may soon be confirmed to serve in one of the world’s most influential diplomatic posts. She told me that she would recuse herself from coal and fossil fuel issues given her close family ties to the coal industry. But that’s just not good enough. If a U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations were to be financially compromised by the fossil fuel industry, American leadership would suffer along with the health of the planet. Decisions about how to confront the climate crisis will necessarily impact her extensive coal interests. Ambassador Craft should immediately recuse herself from all climate matters.”

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