WASHINGTON, D.C. — JUNE 2, 2017 — This morning on News One Now, Host and Managing Editor Roland Martin discussed the impact of President Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement with Dr. J. Marshall Shepherd, director of the University of Georgia’s Atmospheric Sciences Program, and Shermichael Singleton, republican political consultant. The agreement, which includes 195 countries, declares that each will gradually reduce their country’s emissions in an effort to curb the already evident effects of climate change. It is not legally binding, but is a show of solidarity to save the planet and protect natural resources, as well as increase jobs and reduce waste.

“We just threatened the American economy and put us behind, not to mention threatening lives because of the health implications. Not just to the carbon dioxide aspects of the climate agreement, but the clean aspects of the climate agreement as well in terms of effects on public health,” said Shepherd. “Not only are the top CEOs saying this is ridiculous to pull out, military leaders are saying it. Leaders of faith based communities are saying it. All world leaders are saying it. We have quickly fast tracked to the bottom as leaders in the effort to not only protect our planet from climate change, but also leading in technology.”

Singleton agreed that Trump’s decision puts the country’s status as a leader in grave jeopardy.

“[The Paris Accord] was the world recognizing that there was a global problem that we as a collective need to address, and the United States must be at the forefront and continue to be the leader,” he said. “If not, you create a vacuum and someone’s going to fill that vacuum whether it’s Russia or China, and it is not in our interest or the world’s interest to have one of those superpowers leading.”

Trump Withdraws From Paris Climate Agreement

https://youtu.be/aHv_KmImvDI

(courtesy credit: TV One/News One Now)

Martin also spoke with Janel George, director of federal reproductive rights and health with the National Women's Law Center, about a leaked draft proposal from the Trump administration that would mandate that any type of employer could opt out of providing birth control coverage to its employees on the grounds of moral or religious objection. Currently, only churches are allowed to refuse birth control coverage in their employee health insurance plans, and religious nonprofits have the option to not provide birth control coverage on the compromise that the federal government provides coverage.

“We know that copays requiring women to pay as low as $6 can deter women from accessing birth control, and some forms of birth control can cost up to $1000 in upfront costs. So by taking this away and saying that anyone – a school, an employer, a health insurance company – can deny a woman coverage, it is re-imposing these costs on women and making their economic lives more difficult,” says George, who stated that 99% of women will take birth control at some point in their lives for reasons going way beyond contraception.

“We can’t view this in isolation – it has to be viewed within the context on the larger tax on women’s health. All the efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act for instance – to decimate Medicaid, to take away maternity coverage – this is part and parcel of those efforts to target the healthcare services that women really need.”

Trump Admin Rolls Back ACA Birth Control Mandate

https://youtu.be/RzKOTwLs3bY

(courtesy credit: TV One/News One Now)

For more information about News One Now and Roland S. Martin, visit www.tvone.tv , and check out TV One’s YouTube Channel. Viewers can also join the conversation by connecting via social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (@tvonetv) using #NewsOneNow and engage with Martin daily via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Periscope (@rolandsmartin). Viewers are now able to listen to NewsOne Now by live streaming on www.newsone.com.