WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Tuesday met with the Chargé d'Affaires of Brazil to the United States Ambassador Nestor Forster, Jr. Murphy pressed Forster about efforts undertaken by the Brazilian government to curb the fires in the Amazon region. Murphy released the following statement after the meeting:

“I appreciated the opportunity to sit down with Ambassador Nestor Forster, Jr. to hear how the Brazilian government is attempting to address the recent fires in the Amazon. I believe the most meaningful action that Brazil could take is to fully enforce its environmental and indigenous protection laws and provide the relevant regulatory agencies with the support they need. I’m glad to see a change in rhetoric from the Bolsonaro administration, now let’s see it matched by a change in policy. In the meantime, I will continue to find ways for Congress to help protect the Amazon,” said Murphy.

Last month, Murphy and U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) led a group of Democratic senators in urging U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to postpone any trade negotiations with Brazil until President Jair Bolsonaro fully enforces his country’s environmental laws and regulations to protect the Amazon from continued illegal deforestation. Murphy and Schatz also co-authored an op-ed for NBC News in which they outlined steps for congressional action to combat climate change in the wake of fires sweeping across the Amazon rainforests. Murphy also joined Schatz, and U.S. Senators John Kennedy (R-La.), and Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) in calling for action to quell the fires and stop illegal deforestation in the Amazon rainforest.

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