Bipartisan lawmakers introduce bill that could help pave the way for carbon import tax

Rep. John Curtis (R-Utah), the GOP nominee for retiring Sen. Mitt Romney’s (R) seat, introduced bipartisan legislation with Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif.) calling for a federal study of carbon intensity for common domestic imports, potentially paving the way for a carbon import tax.

Curtis, the founder of the House Conservative Climate Caucus, and Peters introduced the Providing Reliable, Objective, Verifiable Emissions Intensity and Transparency (PROVE IT) Act on Tuesday.

The Senate version of the legislation, co-sponsored by Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), was introduced last June and in January passed the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee 14-5. It would authorize the Department of Energy to publish a comparative study between the carbon emissions of products produced in the U.S. versus their foreign import counterparts. It includes transparency requirements to “hold countries with less stringent environmental standards accountable.”

Republican proponents of the measure have presented it in economic protectionist terms, with Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.) calling it a way of securing emissions cuts from other major emitting nations such as China and India. Curtis made similar arguments in a statement Tuesday.

“We should embrace the fact that American industries produce cleaner and with better standards than anywhere else in the world,” he said. “This bill is not just about proving our energy dominance; it's about leveling the playing field in international competition. Russia and China are on an unapologetic trajectory to energy dominance, using none of the innovative technologies or regulations that make our energy cleaner in the United States. This legislation will help American businesses compete globally, strengthen our trade relationships, and provide our allies with a reliable energy partner.”

The bill has the backing of the American Petroleum Institute (API), the leading oil and gas trade group, but other lobbying groups and conservatives have come out against it, including the libertarian Competitive Enterprise Institute, which said in January that it “will help make carbon tariffs a reality.” Senate EPW Committee Ranking Member Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) also opposed the measure, calling it “legislation that would facilitate a domestic carbon tax on American families and consumers.”

Curtis, who won the GOP Senate primary in Utah despite former President Trump’s endorsement of his opponent, launched the Conservative Climate Caucus in 2021 before leaving the chairmanship after announcing his Senate bid.

Republican co-sponsors of the legislation include House Republican Caucus Vice Chair Blake Moore (R-Utah) and Conservative Climate Caucus Vice Chair Lori Chavez DeRemer (R-Ore.).

“To address climate change, we must have a global race to the top, so that all nations have more strong incentives to reduce their emissions,” Peters said. “Our PROVE IT Act will provide the data to show the benefits of America’s high environmental standards while holding nations like China accountable for their emissions-intensive practices."