A House resolution stating that Congress does not support the establishment of a carbon tax passed Friday by a largely party-line vote of 237-163. The resolution has no effect other than to express the sense of Congress that a carbon tax would be detrimental to the nation’s economy.
The resolution says a carbon tax would “mean that families and consumers will pay more for essentials like food, gasoline, and electricity,” and that it would “fall hardest on the poor, the elderly, and those on fixed incomes. A carbon tax would also send more jobs abroad, increase the cost of goods manufactured in the U.S., and reduce the nation’s global competitiveness, according to the resolution.
“Put simply, a carbon tax would make it harder for us to grow our economy and help working families and small businesses succeed,” Rep. Diane Black (R-Tenn.) said on the House floor Friday in support of the resolution, which was sponsored by Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.).
Relatively few representatives broke ranks in the final vote, with six Democrats and no Republicans voting against their parties.
Those opposed to the resolution argued Friday that the claims of economic disaster were not based in fact. “There are all sorts of ways to design a carbon tax, to, actually, enhance the role—the economic status—of low- and moderate-income people, but we never had a hearing on that. It is just simply dismissed as something that we can’t do, but they have done it elsewhere in the world,” said Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D- Ore.).
Several states have already adopted market-based carbon pricing mechanisms, such as cap-and-trade programs, regardless of the lack of a national program. The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) encompasses the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. California has also implemented a carbon market.
Comparing the new resolution with a similar measure offered by Scalise in 2013, the Citizens’ Climate Lobby found a silver lining in the situation. “The first Scalise carbon tax amendment passed the House on Aug 2, 2013. It had 155 co-sponsors. Today’s Scalise amendment had only 82 co-sponsors, and rumor has it that the leadership was strongly going after its membership to vote with the party,” CCL’s Danny Richter said in a release. “So what I see is a recycled idea with less support and on which the party leadership is having to work harder to enforce the party line.”
American Energy Alliance President Thomas Pyle praised the passage of the resolution in a Friday press statement. “We send our elected officials to Washington with the expectation that they will support policies that strengthen our economy and allow every American an equal opportunity to succeed. A national energy tax fails on both counts,” Pyle said.
The White House had not responded to the resolution by press time.
