Fact Check: Does Joe Biden Support the Green New Deal and a Fracking Ban?

© Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images Democratic presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks to journalists before boarding his plane at a local airport in Wilmington, Delaware.

While discussing U.S. energy policies during Wednesday night’s vice-presidential debate, Vice President Mike Pence said that Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden supported the Green New Deal and was in favor of banning fracking.

THE CLAIM:

“Joe Biden and Kamala Harris want to raise taxes,” Pence said. “They want to bury our economy under a $2 trillion Green New Deal, which you were one of the original co-sponsors of in the United States Senate. They want to abolish fossil fuels and ban fracking which would cost hundreds of thousands of American jobs all across the heartland.”

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THE FACTS:

Biden denied that he would ban fracking during a July interview. “Well, fracking is not going to be on the chopping block,” Biden said. “Right now the president gives [an] advantage to companies that go overseas and invest overseas by reducing the taxes they have to pay on foreign profits. I’d double that tax and do that on day one.”

Biden also addressed fracking during an address in Pennsylvania. “I am not banning fracking,” Biden said in September. “Let me say that again: I am not banning fracking no matter how many times Donald Trump lies about me.”

During the first presidential debate in September, Biden said “I do not support the Green New Deal.” According to information on Biden’s website, Biden considers the Green New Deal a “crucial framework for meeting the climate challenges we face.” Biden’s plan does not include some of the larger concepts included in the Green New Deal.

RATING:

Mostly false. Although Biden’s energy plan references the Green New Deal, it does not embrace it in totality. Biden has also said numerous times that he would not ban fracking.

Newsweek reached out to the Biden campaign for comment.

This is a breaking story and will be updated as information becomes available.

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