Expressing the Sense of Congress That A Carbon Tax Would Be Detrimental to the United States Economy

Floor Speech

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Mr. SCALISE. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Texas for yielding and for bringing this legislation to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support as the lead author of H. Con. Res. 119, along with my colleague from West Virginia (Mr. McKinley).

Mr. Speaker, the question is real simple, and that is, do we support or oppose a carbon tax? I think the case is very clear by anybody who looks objectively at what a carbon tax will do to the economy. It will be devastating to our manufacturing base. It will kill jobs. I think most devastating, Mr. Speaker, it would raise and increase costs for families all across this country.

If you look at this chart right here, it talks about the estimate, what this would do to families. There would be an increase by an estimated $1,900 per family on the cost of things that they buy all across this country.

The resolution is simple. It says: ``Be it resolved by the House.'' That is, it is the sense of Congress that a carbon tax would be detrimental to American families and businesses, and is not in the best interest of the United States.

``Yes'' or ``no,'' it is a clear ``yes'' vote if you are concerned about families. Why don't we talk about some of the groups in support. The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste says that: ``A carbon tax would harm the U.S. economy by raising the cost of all goods and services, imposing an unfair burden on the lower and middle class, and deterring new investment, thereby killing jobs.''

Why don't we listen to what the American Farm Bureau Federation said about a carbon tax: ``Agriculture is an energy-intensive sector, and a carbon tax levied on farmers and ranchers would be devastating.''

Then, Mr. Speaker, let's listen to what Grover Norquist from Americans for Tax Reform said: ``A carbon tax would kill American jobs by the millions.''

Why would we want to allow the possibility? Believe me, there are some people in Washington who are talking about trying to bring a carbon tax. To act like, oh, there is no talk about it at all, clearly, there are people here in this Chamber that want to impose a carbon tax. Let's be clear about how devastating that would be to the American economy.

Everybody gets to take a position on this today, Mr. Speaker. You are either for a carbon tax or against it. I would urge strong support for H. Con. Res. 119.

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