The U.S. House of Representatives voted on a non-binding resolution against a carbon tax, approved by a mostly party line vote of 237 to 163 with one member from each party voting present. The resolution, which stated that a carbon tax would be detrimental to the U.S. economy, was broad in scope and did not specify any parameters such as revenue neutrality and boarder adjustability, as supported by free enterprise-minded ecoRight and libertarian groups.
“We’re not discouraged, because [the carbon tax] is the obvious answer in the head once we get through the heart,” said republicEn.org’s Executive Director and former congressman Bob Inglis.
Catrina Rorke, Energy Policy Director at the R Street Institute, addressed the reasons for supporting a carbon tax in an opinion piece for the Daily Caller. “Regardless of one’s opinion on the science and risk of or the appropriate policy response to climate change, our status quo is expensive, arduous and ineffective. That’s why it’s surprising and disappointing that the House is set to vote this week on a resolution that takes one alternative to EPA regulation off the table: a direct price on carbon,” Rorke wrote.
A coalition of free enterprise groups which earlier this week circulated a letter making the case for a revenue neutral, border adjustable carbon tax is not discouraged by the outcome of the vote.