All but one House Republican voted Thursday to disapprove of the idea of a carbon tax, indicating that the GOP remains solidly opposed to carbon pricing, a policy favored by many economists and Democrats to address climate change.
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), who has authored legislation to impose a carbon tax, was the sole Republican to vote no on the measure.
In total, House lawmakers voted 222 to 196 for a resolution disapproving of a carbon tax. The nonbinding measure, introduced by Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT), drew the support of 10 Democrats.
Carbon taxes have at times gained tentative support from Republicans, such as Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT).
More recently, some in the GOP have toyed with the idea of a carbon tariff, which would impose duties on goods from abroad that are associated with high carbon emissions. Several Republicans on the Environment and Public Works Committee voted earlier this year to advance a bill requiring the Energy Department to publish a study measuring U.S. carbon emissions of manufactured U.S. products versus products manufactured by competitors in China and elsewhere. Republican supporters, including Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), and John Boozman (R-AR), argued the information would give U.S. products a competitive edge and show they are cleaner than products manufactured by China and other adversaries.
Still, Thursday’s vote demonstrated entrenched opposition to carbon taxation among Republicans and that the concept faces skepticism from some Democrats.
Two Democrats running for Senate voted against the measure: Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX), who is seeking to unseat Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) in Texas, and Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), who is competing for the Arizona seat currently held by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ).
The other Democrats who voted in favor were Reps. Yadira Caraveo (D-CO), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Donald Davis (D-NC), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), Mary Peltola (D-AK), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA), and Gabe Vasquez (D-NM).
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The vote took place as part of an effort by Republicans to advance energy-focused messaging bills this week to present voters with an alternative to the Biden administration’s policies, primarily on issues of oil and gas production and energy security.
While none of the measures will be brought to the floor in the Democratic-controlled Senate, the House bills are a way for Republicans in the chamber to go on the offensive and attack the White House and Democrats on what they see as a vulnerability in the 2024 elections.