Republicans Move to Kill Carbon Tax Before It Gains Any Momentum

The House voted 229-180 Thursday along mostly party lines to pass a resolution condemning the very idea of a carbon tax as “detrimental” to the U.S. economy. The measure, advanced by Majority Whip Steve Scalise, a Republican from Louisiana, won the support of seven Democrats. Six Republicans broke ranks to vote against the resolution, and two lawmakers dodged declaring a position by voting present.

The resolution vote was aimed at undercutting growing momentum for imposing a tax on the carbon dioxide emissions that drive climate change.

Carbon tax proposals have never made it very far in Washington, but Scalise’s measure was designed to cut off these latest efforts at the knees. Thursday’s House passage of his anti-tax resolution locked in votes against the idea, weakens the ability of lawmakers to later change their minds and symbolically declares the Republican establishment’s opposition to the approach.

“It sends a strong signal to voters about where a member stands on the creation of a massive new energy tax,” said Paul Blair, director of strategic initiatives for Americans for Tax Reform, the conservative advocacy group led by Grover Norquist.

The group has warned lawmakers that “new energy taxes are political losers” that “will get you unelected,” Blair said. “Innovation and the free market has already made the U.S. a leader in reductions without absurd new taxes on American companies, manufacturers and consumers.”

The House passed an identical non-binding resolution two years ago declaring that "a carbon tax would be detrimental to American families and businesses and is not in the best interest of the United States." Every Republican who voted supported the measure.

This time, six Republicans strayed from the party line, including moderates facing tough re-election contests and GOP members of the climate caucus: representatives Curbelo; Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania; Trey Hollingsworth of Indiana; Mia Love of Utah; and Francis Rooney and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, both of Florida.

According to a bill summary that was obtained by Bloomberg, the measure would force oil refiners and coal miners to pay a $23 tax on every metric ton of carbon dioxide -- and in exchange end the gasoline tax and temporarily pause regulations on some greenhouse gas emissions.

Conservatives on both sides of the carbon tax issue besieged lawmakers ahead of the vote, arming them with talking points, surveys and studies. Forty-one conservative groups, including the American Energy Alliance, ALEC Action and the Club for Growth sent a letter to lawmakers insisting that any carbon tax “would lead to less income and fewer jobs for American families.”