Weekly Briefing: Republican Leads On New Carbon Pricing Bill

May 12, 2021

Late last week, the first bipartisan carbon pricing bill of the current Congress was introduced by Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01) and Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24). Their bill, the MARKET CHOICE Act, would tax carbon emissions starting at $35 a ton and use the revenue to pay for infrastructure projects.

The bill, first introduced by former Republican Congressman Carlos Curbelo in the 115th Congress, is another indication that carbon pricing is picking up traction as Congress begins the process of drawing up climate legislation.

“We are at a crossroads with regard to infrastructure and climate change,” Rep. Fitzpatrick said in a press release. “Legislative action taken — or not taken — by this Congress on these issues will be felt for generations.”

Danny Richter, Citizens’ Climate Lobby’s VP for Government Affairs, said, “The MARKET CHOICE Act joins several carbon pricing bills introduced this Congress, and we thank Representatives Fitzpatrick and Carbajal for their leadership in making sure the ideas in this bipartisan bill are part of the discussion.”

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In other news:

Ask for cosponsors May 19: CCL is making a special push next week to get more cosponsors for the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. If your representative has not yet cosponsored the bill, write to them on May 19 and ask them to sign on. CCL’s online “Write to Congress” tool will be modified just for that day to facilitate this campaign. Mark your calendar for next Wednesday to email your representative.

Bridging the partisan divide: Finding common ground with people who see the world differently can be a challenge, but Braver Angels helps to work through those differences. CCL volunteer Davia Rivka wrote a delightful blog about a Braver Angels workshop she recently attended. “In the end, our combined group of reds and blues identified seven values, eight concerns and seven solutions upon which we all agreed.” Sign up for the next Braver Angels workshop on May 22.

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Take action this week 

If you have a little time: Register for CCL’s virtual conference — “The Push for a Price on Carbon” — happening June 12-13 and tell your friends and followers on social media that you’re attending.

If you have more time: Watch the recording of our May national call with Andrés Jimenez, executive director of Green2.0, which works to highlight and advance diversity in the environmental movement.

This week in the CCL Blog:

Hard work pays off on resolution: Persistence and patience are qualities CCL advocates are known for, and that was clearly the case for several volunteers in North Carolina. They spent 18 months getting the town of Knightdale to pass a resolution calling on the state and federal governments to act on climate and transition to a clean economy. Read more.