Press Releases

Congressman Salud Carbajal (CA-24) called out House Republican leadership for bringing up a resolution aimed at condemning proposals that would put a price on carbon and implement fees to hold polluters accountable, an area of climate policy that has enjoyed bipartisan support for more than a decade and often been championed by conservative leaders.

“This resolution denounces the free market, capitalist solution to lower carbon pollution that originally was introduced by Republicans. Are we not for the free market anymore?” Rep. Carbajal said. “I am old enough to remember when it was Republicans in this chamber who came to the well to speak in support of carbon pricing. And even today, there are bipartisan bills, including some that I am co-leading, that would put a price on carbon, protect our markets from pollution-intensive foreign goods, and put money back in American’s pockets.” 

The Congressman’s full remarks can be found here.

Congressman Carbajal also highlighted public surveys that show Americans support putting a price on carbon by a three-to-one margin, with twice as many Republicans supporting the idea than opposing it.

Rep. Carbajal is the lead author of the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, legislation that would implement a price on carbon and redirect the fees collected from polluters directly back into the pockets of American families in the form of a carbon dividend.

He is also the co-lead of the Market CHOICE Act with Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), a bipartisan carbon pricing bill.

Rep. Carbajal also cited strong public support across the political spectrum for carbon pricing – including from leading economists, Republican members of Congress, and veterans of Republican Administrations dating back to Ronald Reagan. A summary of that support can be found here.

The Congressman’s full remarks as prepared for delivery can be found below:

I rise today to point out just how out of step this Republican majority is; not just with the American people, but with their own party.

This resolution denounces the free market, capitalist solution to lower carbon pollution that originally was introduced by Republicans!

Are we not for the free market anymore?

I am old enough to remember when it was Republicans in this chamber who came to the well to speak in SUPPORT of carbon pricing.

And even today, there are bipartisan bills, including some that I am co-leading, that would put a price on carbon, protect our markets from pollution-intensive foreign goods, and put money back in American’s pockets.

Americans support putting a price on carbon by a three-to-one margin, with twice as many Republicans supporting the idea than opposing it.

So I urge you, Mister Speaker, to not just take MY word for it… take the word of the vast majority of the American people, hundreds of mayors from all over America, every single living former Federal Reserve Chair,  28 Nobel Prize Winning Economists, Republican Members of Congress, veterans of the Ronald Reagan Administration; and, if that is not enough, take Elon Musk’s word for it: carbon pricing is the “obvious move”, and worthy of our consideration – not condemnation. 

I urge a no vote.