Zinke Bipartisan Bill Disapproving of Biden’s Planned Carbon Tax Passes House Floor

WASHINGTON - Today, the House of Representatives passed Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke’s bipartisan resolution H. Con. Res. 86, expressing Congressional disapproval of President Biden’s planned carbon tax. The Resolution passed the House Floor with a final vote of 222-196.   

According to the Energy Administration Information, if enacted, a carbon tax would cause: 

• Loss of more than 1.4 million jobs.
• A total income loss of more than $40,000 for a family of four.
• An aggregate gross domestic product loss of more than $3.9 trillion. 
• Increases in household electricity expenditures of 12% to 124%.

The impact would be far reaching beyond energy prices, there would also be downstream impacts to agriculture, manufacturing, transportation and construction industries, leading to potentially catastrophic increases in the costs of goods and groceries. 

“Nobody produces energy more efficiently or cleaner than right here in the United States,” said Congressman Zinke. “When I was Secretary we had the biggest production year on record and it was also the best safety year and we lowered emissions. So, the answer is not to punish domestic energy producers or Montana farmers, manufacturers, and consumers, which is exactly what a carbon tax does. The answer is to allow the private sector to continually innovate to make energy more sustainable and efficient while lowering costs and improving safety. There’s no reason Montanans should be paying more because Biden is bowing to eco-green zealots and paying invoices to communists, terrorists and shady businessmen overseas to get what we have here at home.”

Zinke continued: “A carbon tax is bad for the economy. It’s bad for national security. It’s bad for the environment. 

• Economy – “If Biden implements a carbon tax, blue collar job losses are expected to top a million. And the impact on inflation will be even worse. Americans are already paying more for groceries than at any point in the last 30 years. A carbon tax would increase energy costs that would be passed on to consumers of goods and groceries when Americans are already struggling to stretch their paychecks under Bidenomics. The carbon tax is a regressive tax that hits seniors and families on fixed incomes the hardest.” 

• National security – “A carbon tax will make it more expensive to produce energy on our own shores and waters, and thus will increase our reliance on foreign energy sources. Under Trump we became the largest exporter of energy in the world. We used energy for diplomacy and national security. Our allies who rely on the USA for affordable and reliable fuel sources will be forced to buy from adversaries like China, Russia and Iran, completely undercutting our influence in the world and putting U.S. security at risk.”

• Environment – “When the US slashes production, which will happen as a result of a carbon tax and Biden’s agenda, producers overseas who operate under little to no environmental regulations ramp up. This increases emissions, increases spills, and completely negates any negligible emissions reductions in the USA.”

Indiana Congressman Greg Pence said, “It’s one disastrous plan after another from the Biden Administration.  Jamming down a Carbon Tax to fund a left-wing extremist energy plan will do nothing but continue to hurt Hoosier families already suffering from policies meant to destroy American Energy Independence and make us more reliant on China.”

Alabama Congressman Gary Palmer said, “Nearly 20 million Americans are behind on utility bills because of the high energy costs and inflation levels currently facing our nation. These high energy costs are a direct result from President Biden’s policies. If the Democrats had their way, they would tax every part of our lives. Instead of helping our environment, A carbon tax would do nothing but further increase high energy costs, putting even greater strain on American families already struggling to make ends meet. I appreciate Representative Zinke’s leadership on this commonsense resolution.”

Texas Congressman Dan Crenshaw said, “I want the American people to be able to afford the energy they need to heat and cool their homes, to have lower prices at the gas pump, and reduced costs at the grocery store so they can buy food. Instead, Biden wants to wreck our economic and energy security by implementing a carbon tax that will increase costs on everything we use and purchase to sustain our lives.”

Pennsylvania Congressman Scott Perry said, “Between President Biden’s economic policies and energy policies, American Citizens and residents of south central Pennsylvania can barely afford their groceries, gas, and electricity. A carbon tax – like the one Governor Shapiro wants to impose on the Commonwealth – does nothing except unnecessarily drive up the costs of necessities and incentivize energy producers to do business elsewhere.”

Executive Director of Montana Petroleum Association Alan Olson said, “It's very clear that the economy is in tough shape, and a carbon tax would be an added cost on consumers’ bottom line that is already breaking inflationary records. With Biden’s carbon tax in place, the public will pay more at the pump, over the counter and when they pay their utility bills. Zinke’s resolution is spot on – Biden’s carbon tax plan is bad for Montanans and Montana business.”

Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions President Heather Reams said, “America’s global leadership in emissions reduction should be rewarded. Not only is implementing a carbon tax punitive for American industry, workers and families, it unfairly benefits our economic competitors which rely on dirtier energy production. CRES has never supported a carbon tax and thanks Representative Zinke for leading this resolution.”

Zinke is joined by U.S. Congressmen Steve Scalise (LA-01), Scott Perry (PA-10), Mike Bost (IL-12), Andrew Clyde (GA-09), Dan Crenshaw (TX-02), Andrew Ogles (TN-05), Ronny Jackson (TX-13), Mary Miller (IL-15), Doug Lamborn (CO-05), Claudia Tenney (NY-24), Eli Crane (AZ-01), Stephanie Bice (OK-05), Brad Finstad (MN-01), Greg Pence (IN-06), Gary Palmer (AL-06), Byron Donalds (FL-19), Erin Houchin (IN-09) in sponsoring the resolution.

Prior to the vote, Zinke delivered a speech on the House Floor in opposition of Biden’s planned Carbon Tax which would kill the American economy. Watch the floor speechhere or read the remarks below.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to President Biden's planned carbon tax which would, quite frankly, kill the American economy.

Now, nobody can dispute that America produces cleaner energy than our adversaries or allies. That's not in dispute. When I was Secretary of Interior, I came into office and we were producing 8.3 million barrels a day and declining. After two years of President Trump, we're the world's largest exporter of energy. And oh, by the way, we reduced emissions.

We had the record in safety, because nobody produces energy more cost effective or cleaner than we do. So, the answer is not to punish American producers, or Americans for having a resource and using them wisely.

There are three absolutes on the carbon tax. First of all, the environment. Undisputed, it is better to produce energy in this country under reasonable regulations, than to watch it be produced overseas with no regulation. That is not in dispute. 

Secondly, manufacturing economy, my good friend from Oregon, reminds us that hundreds perhaps have saved on their electric bills. I can tell you millions have not. When I was secretary gas was about two bucks a gallon. I think it's a little over that. If anyone looked at their last year's heating bills, or around the kitchen table at Thanksgiving, I think we paid a price. On our economy, what drives manufacturing? First is labor. We're not going to be competitive, paying wages that China or India can pay. Secondly, resources. The cost of steel is about the same and South Korea, as it is in Pittsburgh, where America has the edge are two things innovation, and energy. And today's energy is going to be different than tomorrow's energy needs. Data Storage, robotics, all require more and more energy. And that energy is not going to come from pixie dust and hope. 

The third absolute is national security. This is an area I'm familiar with. I've lost a lot of friends and colleagues overseas, primarily fighting for other people's oil and energy. I think it's immoral to send our troops overseas and fight for a resource we have here. A carbon tax makes America less competitive. It forces families to pay more for groceries when they’re struggling. And then also on our allies who now depend on low-cost American energy.

Now we're going to do a transition to where? EV and China land. Does anyone realize that 85% of the critical minerals that power EV, lithium, nickel processing are all in China. So, the very idea that we would make ourselves less competitive and give the advantage to our adversaries. Who's going to produce energy? If it's not us, who will? I can make a list. Perhaps Iran, perhaps Venezuela, perhaps Russia. So, we either produce energy in this country under our regulations, for the environment, for national security, to run our country, or we seed, we retreat.

This carbon tax is a terrible, terrible idea. And Mr. Speaker, I yield back.

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